Uttarakhand demands 13% free power from Pancheshwar dam

Uttarakhand has sought 13 per cent free power from the proposed 6,000-Mw Pancheshwar hydel project, which is being developed by India and Nepal on the river Kali.

Justifying the demand, Chief Minister BC Khanduri, who met Union Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde in New Delhi, said Uttarakhand should be given 13 per cent free power from the proposed dam since most of the reservoir would fall in the hill state, affecting a large number of people.

In this regard, he pointed out that 80 per cent of the area affected by the dam would fall in the two districts of Champawat and Pithoragarh.

Official sources here said a Panchewshwar development authority comprising top officials from Nepal and India waa also being set up. The authority is being established to expedite matters related to the project as well as its detailed project report (DPR). The project was proposed on the basis of the 1996 Mahakali Treaty. An investment of Rs 30,000-40,000 crore is proposed for the project.

During the meeting, Khanduri expressed concern over the delay in start of the multi-purpose Kishau hydel project. Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC), which is developing the mega 2400-Mw Tehri dam, has evinced a keen interest to build the 600-Mw Kishau hydel project, which has been hanging fire for the past two decades.

For the past few months, THDC has been constantly in touch with top state government officials to get the final contract in this regard.

The move follows an accord between Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh over the multi-purpose Kishau project. The two states agreed in July that the company which would build the project would divide the royalty equally as well as sell the remaining 88 per cent power to them for the tariffs decided by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC).