Maneri Bhali-II to begin Production

Dehradun: Faced with a severe power crisis, Uttarakhand can now pin its hopes on the controversial 304-Mw Maneri Bhali phase-II hydel project that is expected to begin production from January 14.

Though top officials of the state-run Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (UJVNL), which is implementing the project, are confident of generating 76 Mw from January 14, district officials said no date had been finalised for the commissioning of the project.

The project, which is a run-of-the-river project, was scheduled to be commissioned on November 9 last year. But due to some technical and rehabilitation problems, the project was delayed.

Chief Minister BC Khanduri had recently said the problems like rehabilitation related to the Maneri Bhali project would take priority over the commissioning.

Being built on the river Bhagirathi in Uttarkashi district, the project, which was revived in 2002, was scheduled to be commissioned in three years’ time. But it mired into controversies like alleged financial irregularities, and is now being plagued by rehabilitation issues.

The project ran into fresh controversy lately when it was found that it would submerge vast areas of Joshiyara and Gyansu. The people in both the areas are now seeking compensation from the government.

When contacted, top officials said about 65 families were being affected by the dam at Joshiyara and Gyansu. “We are working out the rehabilitation package for the affected families,” District Magistrate Meenakshi Sundram said.

The project, which has four units of 76 Mw each, will have 16 km long diversion tunnel for which a barrage has also been built. The civil work of the project is being carried out by the state irrigation department.

The project had remained in controversies ever since its construction began in 1989. Within two years' time, the erstwhile Uttar Pradesh government suspended the construction work due to lack of funds. It was only in 2002 that the Uttarakhand government again revived the project a Rs 1,200-crore from the Power Finance Commission (PFC).