Himachal Pradesh's Renuka Dam Project was denied forest clearance as the proposal involved a long reservoir requiring felling of over 1,50,000 trees, said environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

The proposal for diversion of 775 hectares of forest land for construction of dam by Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited in Sirmour district was considered by the forest advisory committee (FAC) on June 17, this year, he said.

But the ministry has declined permission under the provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 "as the proposal involved 148 metre high rock fill dam across river having a reservoir of 24 km length requiring felling of over 1,50,000 trees," the minister said in a written reply.

He said the ministry of environment and forest has not received any request to review the decision on the Renuka Dam Project from the Himachal Pradesh government.

Stating that the state and union territory governments are required to obtain prior approval of the central government for diversion of any forestland for non-forest use, the minister said his ministry, till November 30, has approved 1,471 projects including hydel, irrigation, mining including lime stone mining and transmission line involving more than 13,144 hectares of land.

"While considering the proposal under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, all probable pros and cons of the project are kept in view particularly the likely impact of the proposal on ecology, hydrology of the areas and also the over all economy of the people living both in the area proposed for diversion as well as in the surrounding areas," he said.