Consensus among six states on 'Kishau' dam project; 90% water component work cost by Centre, 10% by states
New Delhi, June 16
Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana and Delhi on Tuesday reached on consensus over the long-pending "Kishau" multipurpose dam project for the rejuvenation of the Yamuna river with decision to sign a pact and that 90 per cent cost of water component of the project to be borne by the Central government and the remaining by these states.
All the states agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the implementation of the "Kishau" hydroelectric and water storage project on the Tons River, a tributary of the Yamuna, straddling the border between Dehradun in Uttarakhand and Sirmour in Himachal Pradesh.
Following the signing of the MoU, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said the project will be placed before the Union Cabinet for approval.
The consensus was reached among the concerned states on the long-pending "Kishau" project at an important meeting held in the national capital under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The meeting was attended by Union Minister of Power Manohar Lal, Union Minister of Jal Shakti CR Patil, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami, Union Home Secretary, Union Water Resources Secretary, Secretary of the Ministry of Power, Chief Secretaries of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and senior officials from the MHA, the Prime Minister's Office, and the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the MHA said, the Central government has been translating the principle of 'Solutions Through Dialogue' into action by building consensus on important issues of national and public interest that had remained unresolved for many years.
"The meeting decided that 90 per cent of the cost of the water component of the Kishau Multipurpose Dam Project will be borne by the Central Government as Central Assistance, while the remaining 10 per cent financial burden will be shared by the six participating states," said the MHA in a statement.
"The meeting also reached a consensus to allocate Himachal Pradesh's share of water to Delhi and Rajasthan in return for sharing the cost of Himachal Pradesh's portion of the power component."
It further mentioned that the decision would prove to be a significant milestone in the journey towards a cleaner and rejuvenated Yamuna, ensuring an increased flow of clean water in the river.
The "Kishau" dam project, situated 45 kilometres upstream of Dakpathar town in Uttarakhand, envisages the construction of a 236 metre high concrete dam, thus creating an installed capacity of 4 x 150 megawatts (MW) of hydroelectric power and a live storage of 1324 million cubic meters (cum) (1.077 million acre-feet (MAF)). The total cost of the project in 1998 was Rs 3566.23 lakhs.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see states coming together under the 'Solutions Through Dialogue' approach. But 236 metre high dam near the Himalayas? Hope proper environmental impact assessments are done. We don't want another disaster like in Joshimath. Need both development and ecological balance.
Intriguing how the water allocation to Delhi and Rajasthan is tied to sharing power component costs. Classic Indian inter-state politics! But honestly, if this provides clean water to millions and generates 600 MW of power, it's a win-win. Let's see if the MoU actually gets executed.
As someone from Rajasthan, water is literally gold for us. This project is a lifeline! But I'm cautious - the cost estimates are from 1998 (Rs 3566 lakhs seems absurdly low for a 236m dam). Inflation and delays will balloon costs. Hope the 90:10 funding holds and doesn't become another burden on states.
Living in Himachal, I worry about the displacement this dam will cause. The Tons River valley is beautiful and supports many villages. While I understand the need for water in drier states, the affected communities must get proper rehabilitation. Not just compensation, but land-for-land. Arre bhai, yeh logon ki zindagi hai!
This is impressive - six states agreeing on a contentious water project is rare in any democracy. The 90% central funding is a smart move. Yamuna rejuvenation is critical for Delhi's groundwater and ecology. Just hope the hydroelectric component doesn't compromise water flow for the river's health.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.