RLD to petition Centre on Tehri dam

New Delhi, Apr 28 (UNI) The Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) today threatened to resort to ''agitational path'' if the Centre fails to defer the time-frame for filling the Tehri Dam, slated for 2010, by another two years in view of the ''extremely parched conditions'' in western Uttar Pradesh.

RLD leader Kaukab Hameed, who is also Uttar Pradesh Tourism Minister, told reporters here that water is being channelised into the Tehri dam from three rivers -- Alaknanda, Bhagirthi and Ganga -- for filling the dam.

''But what is more impertant for us is to provide water for both drinking and irrigation purposes in western Uttar Pradesh, which is reeling under a severe shortage of water,'' he said, adding that the Tehri dam could be filled by 2012 instead of 2010.

Pointing out that the entire region of western Uttar Pradesh -- from Ghaziabad to Muzaffarnagar -- is facing an unprecedented scarcity of water, the minister said people, especially the farming community, are faced with a near-drought situation.

''The immediate need is to make water available to this region by releasing additional water in the Upper Yamuna Canal, and the filling of the Tehri dam can wait,'' he argued.

Mr Hameed said the RLD would first petition the government to look into the merit of its demand. ''If New Delhi fails to take any action, we would stage dharnas at the canal sites to press for our demand.'' The minister also ruled out any release of water for the Sonia Vihar water treatment plant in the national capital. ''It is just not possible. How can we do so when there is not enough water to meet our own requirements?'' UNI SKS RR ND1852