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Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel welcomed the decision of raising the dam height and Central government allowing installation of gates on the Sardar Sarovar Dam on river Narmada in Bharuch district. She also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the decision. Last time the height of Sardar Sarovar Dam was increased was in 2006 to 121.92 meters.
"We have received permission from the NCA to raise the Narmada Dam height to 138 meters from the present 121.92 meters. They have also permitted us to install open gates on the dam," said J N Singh, managing director, Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL). He said that work on the dam would commence soon after monsoon.
Modi, while he was chief minister of Gujarat had made number of representations to the then Congress-led UPA government at the center for granting permission to install gates on the Sardar Sarovar Dam. But the then UPA government had kept the decision pending. In April 2006 Modi, the then chief minister of Gujarat, went on 51-hour fast to protest the UPA government's stand on the Sardar Sarovar dam height. He had demanded that height be increased to 121.92 meters from then 110.64 meters. However, when the talks with the UPA government failed Modi embarked on a fast as a mark of protest.
Gujarat's first woman chief minister had early this week met various union minister including Water Resource minister Uma Bharti and had requested for permission to install gates on the dam on river Narmada and raise the dam height.
"Welcome the news of the clearance given by the Central Govt to put up the gates on the Sardar Sarovar Dam, the lifeline of Gujarat," Patel wrote on the microblogging site Twitter.
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Thanking Modi for the quick decision, Patel further tweeted, "Heartfelt gratitude from the people of Gujarat to Hon PM @narendramodi. The decision pending has come so swiftly. Achchhe din aa Gaye hain (good days have arrived)!!"
Patel who was in Junagadh district on Thursday to kick start the annual school enrollment programme, rushed to Narmada dam site to begin work at the earliest. "At Junagadh right now for Shala Praveshotsav. Leaving for Narmada Dam site at Kevadia. Not a single day should be lost in resuming work," Patel further tweeted.
The foundation stone of the dam was laid by country's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on April 5, 1961. Late the project faced opposition over issues pertaining to displacement of people and their resettlement and rehabilitation programme.
The Sardar Sarovar Project comprising of the dam, canal network for irrigation and hydro power station, is one of the largest water resources project of India covering four major states - Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan.
