<h1>Government recommends environmental clearance for 1,856 MW Chenab run-of-river hydropower project, rehabilitation for 1,500 families and increased mitigation budget</h1> The central government has recommended environmental clearance for a 1,856 MW run-of-river hydroelectric project on the Chenab, reviving a decades-stalled scheme after suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty with the other treaty party. The Expert Appraisal Committee and forest authorities reviewed updated baseline data, Stage-I forest clearance and mitigation plans (increased mitigation budget to ~Rs 594 crore) and found regulatory compliance subject to safeguards; rehabilitation and resettlement for ~1,500 displaced families and catchment, biodiversity and monitoring measures are proposed. Clearance was also supported on strategic grounds and contested retrospective application of newer assessment norms.