Tuesday, August 28, 2018
- Chandigarh, August 28—The Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Lal, said today that Haryana would benefit immensely from the Lakhwar Multi-Purpose project on Yamuna river as it would alone be able to utilize a major share of over 47 per cent water. The remaining 53 per cent water would be distributed among five other basin states. The project would not only help in quenching the thirst of people, especially in southern Haryana, but would also meet the irrigation needs of parched lands.
- Mr Manohar Lal was interacting with media persons after the Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Mr Nitin Gadkari, and Chief Ministers of six basin states signed in New Delhi today Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for implementation of the Lakhwar Multi-Purpose project on Yamuna river in Uttarakhand.
- Besides, Mr Gadkari, the MOU was signed by the Haryana Chief Minister, UP Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Mrs Vasundhara Raje, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Mr Trivendra Singh Rawat, Delhi Chief Minister, Mr Arvind Kejriwal, and Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Mr Jai Ram Thakur.
- Mr Manohar Lal said the Lakhwar multi-purpose project which was pending for the last 42 years, would now take off with the signing of the MOU by six states. The project would not only help in resolving various inter-state water issues but would also meet the water needs of the people of Haryana, especially in south Haryana. Besides, it would also help in redressing the problem of shortage of drinking water in the affected areas of the state during the summers, he added.
- “I myself visited Lakhwar Dam two years ago and also discussed the issue with the then Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ms Uma Bharti”, said the Chief Minister, adding that he was assured that the issue would be resolved soon. Today, it is matter of happiness that Chief Ministers of six basin states have signed an MOU for implementation of the project.
- In reply to a question, Mr Manohar Lal said efforts were being made to achieve consensus on other inter-state water issues. “Six basin states reached consensus today on a water issue which was pending for the last 42 years and I hope that the other issue pertaining to water would also be resolved through mutual consent”, he added.
- Extending his gratitude to the Chief Ministers of all six States for mutually consenting to this impending project, Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Mr Nitin Gadkari said that the problem of water shortage in all six States would be resolved once the project is complete as water flow in River Yamuna would improve in dry season from December to May/June every year. He hoped that more such projects, especially the ones which are stuck for several years due to lack of consensus amongst States, would take off. He that the problem is not water shortage but water management and the Government is taking steps in this direction. The Lakhwar project would not only ensure water availability but also improve irrigation, generate electricity and fulfill the drinking water needs of all six States, he added.
- The Lakhwar project envisages construction of a 204-meter -high concrete dam across Yamuna near Lohari village in Dehradun district of Uttarakhand with a live storage capacity of 330.66 Million Cubic Metres (MCM). This storage will provide irrigation for 33,780 hectares of land and availability of 78.83 MCM water for domestic, drinking and industrial use in the six basin states.
- Besides, it will also generate 300 MW of power. The project is to be executed by M/s Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (UJVL). Out of the total project cost of Rs. 3,966.51 crore, the power component of Rs. 1,388.28 crore will be borne entirely by the Uttarakhand Government. Uttarakhand will also get the benefit of total power generation once the project is complete.
- Out of the remaining cost of Rs. 2,578.23 crore which form the irrigation and drinking water components, 90 per cent will be borne by the Centre (Rs. 2320.41 crore) and 10 per cent will be divided among the states of Haryana-Rs.123.29 crore (47.82%), Uttar Pradesh/ Uttarakhand -Rs. 86.75 crore (33.65%), Rajasthan-Rs. 24.08 crore (9.34%), NCT Delhi -Rs. 15.58 crore (6.04%), and Himachal Pradesh -Rs. 8.13 crore (3.15%).
- Storage created as a result of implementation of Lakhwar project will be shared by the basin states in proportion to their overall annual allocations as given in the mother MoU signed between the six states on May 12, 1994. Allocation of water from storage created by Lakhwar Dam reservoir will be regulated by UYRB as per this MoU.
- Except for sharing of the stored water, all other resultant economic benefits, including generation of hydropower due to construction of the dam, are assigned to Uttarakhand.