New Delhi, Aug 8: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has barred new solar, wind, and hybrid renewable energy projects from being set up within 1 km of the Line of Control (LoC), the Line of Actual Control (LAC), and the International Border.
The MHA said projects that have already received its security clearance or an NOC from the Ministry of Defence before the guidelines were issued will not have to reapply.
The Ministry has also classified areas within 50 km of these borders as sensitive zones and introduced additional security clearance requirements for projects proposed.
The guidelines, issued by the MHA’s Internal Security wing, also restrict the engagement of engineers, employees, staff and labour from countries sharing a land border with India, particularly Pakistan, Bangladesh and China, for project implementation without prior approval from the central government.
Applicants will also require prior approval before transferring project land to a foreign company.
All solar, wind and hybrid renewable energy projects proposed within 50 km of the LoC, LAC or International Border will require security clearance from the MHA.
While no project activity will be permitted within 1 km of these borders, proposals between 1 km and 50 km will be assessed on a case-by-case basis by the MHA and the Ministry of Defence.
A separate no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Ministry of Defence will be required for projects proposed within 20 km of the International Border.
Applications will be submitted through the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), which will forward them to the MHA and the Ministry of Defence along with the state government’s in-principle approval for land allotment.
The application must also include the project’s latitude and longitude.
The MNRE will communicate the final decision to developers after receiving the required security clearance and NOC.
The guidelines also require renewable energy projects in sensitive areas to have comprehensive security arrangements, including anti-drone systems where required. Such security equipment will be operated by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) or state police.
Projects will also be required to have a dedicated police post attached to monitor construction activity and security arrangements. Employees involved in project implementation must undergo verification before entering the project area and comply with instructions issued by local police and the Border Security Force (BSF).
The guidelines also provide for monitoring of foreign nationals entering sensitive areas. Project staff will be required to follow security directions issued by authorities deployed along the International Border.
The MHA has directed that land allocation should be planned so that project construction does not extend over a long distance parallel to the International Border.
Roads within project areas should also be sufficiently wide for the Border Security Force or armed forces during emergencies.
The guidelines also restrict accommodation and other facilities that could attract crowds or create security vulnerabilities in sensitive areas.
Hotels and accommodation facilities should be located at least 5 km from the border, while cafeterias have to be located within the plant premises.
Civil infrastructure used for project maintenance and operations will also face height restrictions based on its distance from the border. The maximum permitted height is three metre between one km and eight km, five metres between eight km and 20 km, and 15 metre between 20 km and 50 km.
Projects involving foreign investment will require a separate application to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the government’s Foreign Direct Investment Policy. The applicant will also need prior approval from the central government, including security clearance from the MHA, before transferring land to a foreign company.
The MHA said the guidelines were issued in response to a growing number of applications seeking approval for solar, wind and hybrid renewable energy projects in border areas.
The framework aims to provide uniform and transparent rules for such projects while taking into account national security concerns and the government’s ease-of-doing-business objective. (BVI)
