Six states to sign agreement for Renukaji multipurpose dam project

The agreement will be signed in the presence of union minister for water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation, road transport and highways and shipping Nitin Gadkari. All the six chief ministers will also be present on the occasion.

The occasion will also see the signing of a concession agreement for  Namami Gange projects for the city of Prayagraj, under hybrid annuity mode and `one city one operator’ concept. The Prayagraj agreement will be signed between UP Jal Nigam, NMCG and Prayagraj Water Pvt Ltd. 

Under the Renukaji multipurpose dam project, three storage projects are proposed to be constructed on the river Yamuna and two of its tributaries - Tons and Giri - in the hilly regions of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh of Upper Yamuna Basin. These include Lakhwar project on river Yamuna in Uttarakhand, Kishau on river Tons in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and Renukaji on river Giri in Himachal Pradesh.

These three projects have been identified as National Projects in 2008 under which 90 per cent funding of the cost of irrigation and drinking water component will be provided by the central government as central assistance and the rest 10 per cent cost of the irrigation and drinking water component will be borne by the beneficiary states.

Chief ministers of these states - Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and NCT of Delhi - signed an agreement in respect of sharing of cost and benefits of Lakhwar MPP amongst basin states on 28 August 2008. 

A similar agreement is scheduled to be signed today for the implementation of Renukaji Dam Project.

Renukaji Dam project has been conceived as a storage project on Giri River (tributary of river Yamuna) in Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh. The project envisages construction of 148 metre high rock filled dam for supply of 23 cusec water to Delhi and other basin states. The project will also generate 40 MW of power during peak flow. The project is proposed to be executed by Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (HPPCL). The live storage of Renukaji MPP is 0.404 MAF and total submergence area is about 1,508 hectares in the territory of HP.

After the construction of the said dam, the flow of river Giri will increase about 110 per cent, which will meet the drinking water needs of Delhi and other basin states up to some extent in lean period. Stored water of Renukaji Dam will be used by UP, Haryana and NCT of Delhi from Hathnikund Barrage, by NCT of Delhi  from Wazirabad Barrage and by UP, Haryana and Rajasthan from Okhla Barrage. 

Investigation works in respect of Renukaji dam project was started in 1976. But,    due to some unavoidable reasons, construction works could not be started. The total cost of the project was estimated on 2015 prices at Rs4,596.76 crore, out of which the cost of irrigation/drinking water component is Rs4,325.43 crore and the cost of power component Rs277.33 crore. 

About 90 per cent cost of irrigation/drinking water component of the project, ie, Rs3,892.83 crore, will be provided by the central government and the remaining 10 per cent, ie, Rs432.54 crore, will be provided by the basin states of Haryana, UP, Uttarakhand, HP, Rajasthan and NCT of Delhi in the proportion as allocated in MoU dated 12 May 1994 signed by the CMs of the basin states for the allocation of surface water of river Yamuna up to Okhla Barrage. The shares of these states, viz, Haryana, UP, Uttarakhand, HP, Rajasthan and NCT of Delhi are 47.82 per cent, 33.65 per cent, 3.15 per cent, 9.34 per cent and 6.04 per cent, respectively. Govt. of NCT of Delhi has agreed to fund 90% of the cost of power component of the said project.

The centre has released Rs446.96 crore for investigation and land acquisition of the project. The Delhi government has released Rs214.84 crore and Haryana government has released Rs25 crore till date. All the mandatory clearances in respect of Renukaji dam project except Stage-II forest clearance, invest clearance and approval from CCEA have been obtained.

The trans-Ganga/Yamuna areas in Prayagraj (namely Naini, Phaphamau and Jhunsi) currently do not have any sewage treatment facility and thereby pollute rivers Ganga and Yamuna.

Prayagraj town already has a comprehensive sewerage network and sewage treatment facilities. However, these are with different operators and without long term sustainable mechanism for operation and maintenance (O&M).

Accordingly, two projects have been sanctioned for sewage management in the trans-Ganga/Yamuna areas and O&M of existing sewerage assets costing Rs908.16 crore. 

These two projects are under One City One Operator concept for implementation on Hybrid Annuity based PPP mode for the sewerage management of the town in sustainable and accountable manner and improve governance.

These projects would lead to creation of new capacity of 72 MLD, rehabilitation of 80 MLD, operation & maintenance of existing STPs of 254 MLD capacity and 10 Sewage Pumping Stations.