Envisaged in 1976, work on Renukaji dam to begin after February next year

Ambika Sharma

Solan, June 22

Envisaged nearly 48 years back in 1976, the work on the much-awaited Renukaji multi-purpose dam slated to ease water woes of the national capital region (NCR) of Delhi is yet to begin.

Once complete, it will supply 500 million cubic metres of water per year. Its construction, however, will not begin before February 2025, as per the state government’s reply submitted in the last Vidhan Sabha session in February to a question posed by the Gagret MLA. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid its foundation virtually on December 27, 2021.

Among the reasons attributed for its delay are opposition from local residents as well as the environmentalists, red tape, besides a series of technical and feasibility reports which were submitted to the Central government for seeking various clearances.

The work is slated to gather pace as key works like design of dam and diversion tunnels are nearing finalisation. According to the reply, “The Central Water Commission (CWC) has been appointed design consultant and a panel of geological experts is undertaking investigations for the design of the dam and diversion tunnels. The investigation in the main dam area have been completed while investigation in the spillway and downstream cofferdam area is underway.”

Based on the results of these investigations, the CWC will proceed to design the dam and diversion tunnels. The commencement of construction for the diversion tunnels is expected in August 2024, while the main dam construction is anticipated to begin in February 2025.

Conceived as a storage project on the Giri river in Sirmaur district, it envisages construction of 148-m high rock-fill dam on the Giri river at Dadahu in Sirmaur district and a dam toe powerhouse. It has been declared a Project of National Importance and as such the cost shall be borne by the Central Government and other beneficiary states in the ratio of 90:10.

Its estimated cost has been pegged at Rs 6,946.99 crore. As much as 947.4 hectares out of 954.27 hectares of private land has been acquired whereas 909 hectares of forestland will be transferred after the Forest Clearance Stage-II. For this, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests had laid down conditions for fresh enumeration of trees and the assessment of suitability of sites identified for compensatory afforestation, which have been fulfilled. The compensatory afforestation scheme has also been submitted to the Forest Department.

“The state government has submitted its case to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests for seeking the Stage-II forest clearance, which is awaited,” said Parminder Singh, Divisional Forest Officer, Renukaji.

Estimated project cost Rs 6,947 cr, 947 hectares acquired

• The estimated project cost is Rs 6,946.99 crore
• As much as 947.4 hectares out of 954.27 hectares of private land has been acquired while 909 hectares of forestland will be transferred after the Forest Clearance Stage-II
• The Union Ministry of Environment and Forest has laid down conditions for fresh enumeration of trees and the assessment of suitability of sites identified for compensatory afforestation, which have been fulfilled
• The compensatory afforestation scheme has been submitted to the Forest Department
• The Union Government was urged for Rs 828.90 crore aid for 2023-24 but only the first installment of Rs 207.23 crore was released