Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari signed an MoU with chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Delhi. Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari signed an MoU with chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Delhi.

THE CENTRE has revived a dam project in Uttarakhand, 42 years after it was initially approved and 20 years since it was suspended. The Rs 3,966.51-crore Lakhwar Multipurpose Project got the go-ahead on Tuesday, with Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari signing an MoU with chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Delhi. This is the first of three major projects that are planned in the region, said officials.

The 204-m concrete dam that is slated to come up in the upper Yamuna basin near Lohari village in Uttarakhand is said to provide water for domestic, drinking and industrial use in the six basin states. Uttarakhand will also get the benefit of total power generation once the project is complete, said officials. Gadkari said the focus will also be on tackling pollution in the Yamuna, and that 34 projects are being taken up on the river of which 12 are in the Capital.

However, a 2015 plea submitted in the National Green Tribunal pointed out that the environmental clearance letter granted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) in 1987 was an approval for the composite Lakhwar-Vyasi project, which has since been bifurcated. It referred to an expert appraisal committee meeting held on November 11 and 12, 2010, in which it said that several issues were raised.

The Indian Express looked at the minutes of the EAC meeting that discussed the 300 MW Lakhwar Hydro Electric Project. It noted: “It is quite obvious the developers have submitted piecemeal documents with no linkage, particularly on the environment aspects.” It also noted that the Detailed Project Report does not show or contain the requisite form required for scoping clearance. “Instead a long check list required for TEC of CWC / CEA is enclosed, which is totally irrelevant for environmental scoping. A look at reservoir operation study for 1974-75 shows the project generates 4-8 hours of electricity every day thereby grossly altering the existing hydrological regime of the river,” it states.

Noting that part of the construction of Lakhwar dam had been completed but later suspended due to paucity of funds, the EAC stated: “In view of the facts that part construction of Lakhwar dam complex is already done, the environmental impacts have already occurred. How do the developers address this issue?” The plea is supposed to come up for hearing on September 11. The MoEF is expected to clarify its stand.

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