Himachal expects clearance for big flood control projects

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, August 2

The hill state is pinning hopes on the 13th meeting of the Investment Clearance Committee of the Ministry of Water Resources scheduled for August 7 for implementing big irrigation and flood control projects in the state.

Some of the big projects that are to be executed in the state will come up for a discussion at the meeting. One of them is the Renukaji Dam project to be brought up at an estimated cost of Rs 6,946 crore. The project envisages the construction of a dam on the Giri river, a tributary of the Yamuna in Sirmaur district. The project aims at supplying drinking water to Delhi national capital region. Apart from water supply to Delhi, the project also aims at 40 MW power generation and distribution of water for irrigation purposes.

Other projects that would be discussed for investment clearance include flood protection work at Sakrain, Malthod, Thothu, Dol and Samaur rivulets in the Dharampur Assembly constituency that is represented by Minister for Irrigation and Public Health Mahinder Singh. The project is worth Rs 145 crore.

It includes the construction of embankments with stone pitching and crated walls along the said five distributories of the Beas in Mandi district. The project was earlier proposed under the externally aided programme, but has now been proposed under the Flood Management and Border Area Program (FMBAP).

In Kangra district, a Rs 231- crore project for providing flood protection to the Naker rivulet and its tributaries has been proposed. It envisages the construction of earth embankments and wire crated walls at different vulnerable reaches.

A project worth Rs 250 crore for providing flood and erosion protection measures along the right bank of the the Yamuna and its tributaries in Paonta Sahib, Sirmaur district, has also been proposed. In Mandi district, the state has sought investment for flood control works of the Sheer rivulet. The project was proposed to protect fertile land and densely populated area from Barchiwar to the Jahu bridge that would help in reclamation of about 115 hectare of agricultural land from flash floods.

Sources said the state Irrigation Department had high hopes from the meeting. After about Rs 1,000-crore Swan river canalisation project in Una district the state government has not got any major investment from the Union Government for flood control or irrigation projects.