Environment Min declines clearance to Renuka Dam project

Delhi's hopes to meet its growing demand of potable water from Himachal Pradesh's Renuka Dam have been dashed with the Environment Ministry refusing to give nod to the Rs 3,600-crore project as it requires felling of a "very large number" of trees.

The setback to the 40 Mw project, aimed at supplying drinking water to Delhi, comes at a time when land acquisition work was almost over and Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation (HPPCL) was in the final stage of inviting global tenders to implement the project.

When contacted, Delhi Jal Board (DJB) Chief Executive Officer Ramesh Negi said that he was not aware of any such order from the Environment Ministry.

He said that Renuka Dam is the only source to augment Delhi's raw water needs in future. "In fact, there is no other source of water to meet the needs that has been identified so far," Negi said while underlining the importance of the Renuka Dam for the increasing water demand in the city.

In fact, Delhi Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta has been personally reviewing the construction work of the dam on the Giri River, which will offer a storage capacity of 542 million cubic meters of water and an installed power capacity of 40 Mw. It will also supply Delhi with an additional 275 MGD of water.

The dam has been planned keeping in mind the requirements of the Master Plan for Delhi-2021 and the DJB has already released Rs 300 crore to the Himachal Pradesh Government for purchase of land for its construction.

Delhi will have to pay Rs 3,000 crore for the entire project.

However, the Environment Ministry's refusal to give nod has played spoilsport to plans of the Delhi government.

The Environmental Appraisal Committee (EAC) had approved the project in October last year, but on August 31 the Ministry said since the proposal involved high density forest areas and required felling of "a very large number" of trees, the clearance could not be given.

HPPCL had sought permission to divert 990 Hectare (Ha) of forest land, which was later reduced to 775 ha, in Renuka, Paonta, Nahan, Rajgarh and Wildlife divisions of Sirmaur district.

However, people of the affected villages were up in arms against the project and had launched a protracted battle against project authorities.

The Environment Clearance to the project was also challenged before the Appellate Authority but despite opposition to the project, the Himachal government used the urgency clause to forcefully acquire land under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894.