Agreement on sharing of benefits from dams

Neena Sharma

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 15

The Uttarakhand Government has pressed for the 1994 water and power sharing formula for resolution of differences on the benefits from the Lakhwar and Kishau national power projects with the neighbouring states.

The Rajasthan government had been expressing reservations on the sharing formula for water worked out for the Lakhwar project, but now the states of Uttarakhand and Rajasthan have agreed to go by the formula worked out in 1994.

At the river Yamuna Review Committee meeting chaired by Union Minister for Water Resources Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi today in which CMs of neighbouring states were present, Uttarakhand Chief Minister TS Rawat forcefully put across the state’s case. “The state is expending huge financial resources on the Lakhwar Dam for the production of electricity as such it should be allowed to use 300 MW of power,” he said. This was agreed by all the neighbouring states which participated in the review meeting, said a government official.

Similarly, on the construction of Kishau Dam the government satisfied the partner Himachal Pradesh government. “A formula has been worked out in which both the states would get 330 MW of power. Our side had pressed for the division of water and power component based on the formula worked for the Lakhwar Dam in 1994,” said a senior official who was present at the meeting today.

Significantly, the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh will benefit from the drinking water and water for irrigation from the Lakhwar project. The 300-MW Lakhwar project is located in the Upper Yamuna River Basin in Dehradun district and Uttarakhand’s Jal Vidyut Nigam has been assigned the project. The project work was stalled even after 30 per cent work had already been done in the past.

Similarly, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh have also agreed to share the benefits from the 660 multipurpose dam to come at Tons river equally. 

Further after the agreement today, the formal approvals from the states would be sent to the Centre after which the proposals of would be sent to the cabinet final approvals. 

Lakhwar & Kishau power projects

• The Rajasthan government had been expressing reservations on the sharing formula for water worked out for the Lakhwar project, but now the states of Uttarakhand and Rajasthan have agreed to go by the formula worked out in 1994.
• On the construction of Kishau Dam the government pacified the Himachal government. “A formula has been worked out in which both the states would get 330 MW of power,” said a senior official who was present at the meeting today.