Water Resources ministry reduces completion time of dam

Chandigarh, Dec 20 (UNI) The Union Water Resources Ministry has decided to reduce the period of completion of Kishau Dam from nine years to five-six years.

This was decided in a meeting of Irrigation Ministers of Yamuna Basin states namely - Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttranchal Pradesh and Delhi. The meeting was presided over by the Union Water Resources Minister, Prof Saif-ud- din Soz to expedite the construction of Kishau, Lakhwar-Vyasi and Renuka dams on river Yamuna in New Delhi today.

Haryana's Irrigation Minister, Capt Ajay Singh Yadav pleaded in the meeting that period of completition of Kishau dam, which as per agenda is nine years, should be reduced to five years because it would reduce the overall construction cost and additionally the basin states would get benefit in terms of power, irrigation and drinking water and resultant flood moderation.

It was also decided that the Yamuna Basin states would share water and power from all the three projects namely Renuka, Kishau and Lakhwar-Vyasi in the ratio of their shares in Yamuna waters as finalized between Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan in May 1994. With this understanding, a big step was taken forward to solve the water and power problems of these states and work on these projects shall start expeditiously.

The Haryana Government has been making consistent efforts to expedite the construction of storage dams on upper reaches of Yamuna river.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Capt Yadav had earlier written to the Prime Minister and Union Water Resources Minister in this regard. In the meeting, Capt Ajay Singh Yadav emphasized that Haryana had made huge sacrifice when it's share in Yamuna waters was reduced from 67 per cent to 48 per cent in May ,1994.

Capt Yadav strongly emphasized upon the issue of the extremely dirty water being sent to Haryana by Delhi through river Yamuna. The representative of Uttar Pradesh fully supported Haryana on this issue. Prof Soz expressed deep concern on the pollution of Yamuna in Delhi territory and asked Delhi's Urban Development Minister A K Walia to convey this concern to the Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, so that immediate steps are taken to clean the Yamuna.

The partner states particularly Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan were of the same view on various issues and as a result of this, it was felt that some arrangement like BBMB could be worked out for managing and utilizing the water and power potential of the Yamuna river.

UNI HS SY GC1835