The Himachal Pradesh High Court has stayed execution of the 450 MW capacity Shongtong-Karchham hydropower project in Kinnaur district.
The order of a division bench of Acting Chief Justice R.B. Misra and Justice V.K. Sharma came while hearing a petition of the central government and the Indian Army’s Western Command, who contended that the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited went ahead with the project despite objections raised by the army from 2007 to 2013.
It said the hydro project is located in vicinity of an ammunition depot where project authorities are using explosives to construct a road. In the petition, the army authorities had asked the state chief secretary in February 2011 to relocate part of the project outside notified area. But despite several objections of the army, the construction work is already going on and substantial work has already been carried out.
The court listed the matter for next hearing April 11.
