Notify Renuka dam oustees or face stir: Samiti

Tribune News Service

Ambika Sharma
Solan, April 11

Wait goes on for rehabilitation because of the delay in notifying the families, facing displacement due to the construction of the Rs 6,946 crore Renuka dam in Sirmaur district.

The task to verify the families is underway by the Revenue Department. Once the process completes, it will be notified and will pave the way for rehabilitation process.

About dam project

• The project report of the dam for Rs4,596 cr was accepted in 2015, but as there was no pact among the beneficiary states, the project could not be taken forward
• Delhi, Haryana, UP, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Himachal signed an agreement on January 9, 2019
• It envisages the construction of a 148-metre high rock fill dam with storage capacity of 498 million cubic metres.

Yogender Kapila, who heads the Renukaji Dam Sangharsh Samiti, said, “A meeting was held with the dam management at Dadahu today where issues like rehabilitation were discussed.”

“We are awaiting the categorisation of the affected families into most affected, partially and least affected as this will help decide who will be given land, work, housing, etc,” he said.

The samiti has given an ultimatum to the dam authorities and the district administration till May 10 to notify the oustees or face stir.

He said despite several assurances from the authorities, the affected families were yet to know where they stand. “The dam authorities are now demanding affidavits along with the resume, claiming that those seeking jobs should not possess any land after being displaced. This was objectionable as an oustee could own some land by way of inheritance though he could have lost his entire land for the project.”

Samiti members also objected as to why some oustees were shown land earmarked for rehabilitation when it was not clear whether they were eligible for houses, land or both.

Deputy Commissioner, Sirmaur, RK Gautam said, “The verification process of the families by the revenue staff was underway.”

As per the relief and rehabilitation policy, the displaced families will be given houses to be constructed on the land acquired at four villages, Tokyo, Sainwala, Amboa and Chakli. An area of 947.40 hectares has been acquired for the construction of housing colonies. A compensation of Rs 406 crore has already been paid as initial amount to the displaced while the notification is awaited.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone of this project in December 2021 following which its work had begun.

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