Meet to expedite Renuka dam, crucial for Delhi

With disagreement mounting between Himachal Pradesh and Delhi over the construction of multi-crore hydel projects in the Yamuna basin, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has called a meeting of the officials of all riparian states on Thursday in New Delhi.

With disagreement mounting between Himachal Pradesh and Delhi over the construction of multi-crore hydel projects in the Yamuna basin, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has called a meeting of the officials of all riparian states on Thursday in New Delhi.

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Chief secretaries of Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have been asked to meet at the PMO to discuss project-related issues.

“The PMO wants to expedite the three projects — Renuka, Lakhwar-Vyasi and Kishau dams — in the Yamuna basin and hence has called the meeting tomorrow,” said a senior official from the Upper Yamuna River Board.

The meeting is likely to work out the cost details for the projects’ environment impact, especially that of the Renuka project on the Giri river, a tributary of Yamuna.

The Central Water Commission has pegged the amount for compensatory forestation at R1,500 crore, which Delhi will have to bear. Delhi is looking at Renuka’s water — approximately 250 million gallons per day (MGD), almost 25 % of current requirement — to meet its ever-rising population’s demand.

The project had earlier received environmental clearance but not forest clearance. The National Green Tribunal had stayed land acquisition in Himachal’s Sirmaur district for the Renuka project.

“My endeavour would be to ensure that Himachal Pradesh’s interests are not compromised. As many as 1,100 families will be displaced and large chunk of land and forests will be submerged,” Sudripta Roy, chief secretary of Himachal Pradesh told Hindustan Times before his departure to Delhi for the meeting.