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Journalism of Courage
The word delay has become synonymous with the controversial Tehri Hydro-electric project on river Bhagirathi in Garhwal which started more than two decade ago. And with the project cost escalating to over Rs 6,000 crore, there is still no scope of power generation from the project for another two years as it runs into fresh problems.
Two of the vexed issues likely to delay the project are the indecision of both the Centre and the state on the closure of two tunnels and rehabilitation of the oustees.
However, corporation GM (Project) I.D. Parbhakar claimed: ‘‘The first turbine of 250 MW generation capacity would be in place in March, 2003, as per schedule and subsequently all the four turbines would be ready by August the same year.’’
But even if all the machinery are in place, there’s no denying the absence of adequate water. ‘‘We need at least a ten-month period, including one rainy season, for proper storage of water to run the turbines for power generation,’’ he said.
The Centre as well as the state have yet to decide about the closure of the two remaining tunnels — T-1 and T-2. Earlier, the T-3 and T-4 tunnels were closed in December, 2001, leading to submergence of a mini reservoir surrounding old Tehri town.
The closure of tunnels is directly linked with the other issue — that of rehabilitation of the oustees who are staying on in the town despite gradual rising of the water level due to the rains. A part of the town has already submerged. The water has touched 640 meters above sea level. ‘‘It is expected to rise 20 meters more in the rains drowning a major portion of the town,’’ Parbhakar said.
Project officials said there are 55 such families still in the town. Already, a sum of more than Rs 1,000 crore has been spent on the rehabilitation package for more than 10,000 families to be affected by the dam and the reservoir. There were 5,300 families in old Tehri town and nearly 5,000 families in rural areas. Besides cash compensation, oustees have been provided land and houses in New Tehri, Rishikesh and Hardwar, they said.
Officials said the Centre recently gave a final package of another Rs 140 crore to settle the final claims of rehabilitation. ‘‘We have already rejected the new package,’’ said Shivanand Pandey, a leader of the agitating oustees.
‘‘This is the best rehabilitation package ever given in the country,’’ said Vishwa Bandhu Gupta, Additional General Manager, PR. Project officials also hope that all the hurdles related to rehabilitation would be sorted out by October, 2003, paving the way for closure of the tunnels. Even going by the claims of the project officials, power generation could only be possible latest by the end of year 2004.
