Assessment of habitat use by black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis) and eflows of Nyamjang Chu Hydroelectric Project in Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh

Abstract

Nyamjang Chu River flowing in Zemithang valley of Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh is on e of the only two known Black-necked crane wintering sites in India. In 2006, the Government of Arunachal Pradesh awarded the development of a hydropower project in the Nymjang Chu River at Zemithang valley to Bhilwara Energy Limited. On behalf of BEL WAPCOS ltd and RS Envirolink technologies pvt. limited carried out the EIA and EMP were strongly opposed and challenged by many scientific as well as social institutions. Citing flaws in the methods adopted for floral and faunal studies the baseline setting for the ecological aspects and prediciton of impacts on wildlife habitat and environment of the region. Recently the honorable National Green Tribunal (NGT) observed gross errors in the EIA and EMP such as omission of key, rare and threatened species such as omission of key, rare and threatened species such as the Black-necked crane in the report and ordererd that the WII to conduct a detailed study in this regard. The primary scope of the WII study was to assess the habitat requirements of the Black-necked crane and Assess the environmental flows requirement for protection and conservation of Black-necked crane habitats at the proposed Nyamjang Chu Hydroelectric project site in Zemithang valley