SHIMLA: Hanging fire for the past 12 years, the issue of Jangi-Thopan-Powari hydro power project, proposed on Satluj river in Kinnaur district , is likely to come up for approval during the cabinet meet on Tuesday.Initially, the project was proposed to have a generation capacity of 960 MW, but now it has been reduced to 600 MW. Residents of areas likely to be affected are already opposed to this project. The tender for the project was first floated in 2006. But in the last 12 years, project allocation had remained a challenge for the state government. The cabinet in July 2013 had decided to go for rebidding for its allotment following legal dispute.The state government earlier had allotted the project to Brakel Corporation as two separate entities (Jangi-Thopan and Thopan-Powari) of 480 MW each following competitive global bidding process. But, the cabinet later decided to re-bid the Jangi-Thopan and Thopan-Powari projects as a single Jangi-Thopan-Powari project of 960 MW capacity as per the new hydel policy. Sources said now, the generation capacity has been reduced by 360 MW and the proposal would be placed before the cabinet for approval on Tuesday.Meanwhile, green activists have claimed that the project would have adverse impact on the fragile ecology of Kinnaur district. Environment activist Manshi Asher from Himdhara said, "Given that these are high-altitude regions and are ecologically fragile and more at risk due to climatic variations, these should be declared as 'eco sensitive zones' where no major construction activity should be allowed," she added.

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