Govt to revive watermills in Uttaranchal

Watermills, locally known as gharats, are being revived by the Uttaranchal government.

Initially, the government would develop 11 model watermills as multi-purpose resource centres to enhance the living standards of rural communities as well as to decrease forest degradation, top officials of the Uttaranchal Renewable Energy Development Agency (UREDA), the state government's implementing agency for the project, said.

In this regard, the government has roped in the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to procure a soft loan of Rs 1.125 crore.

An agreement was signed here during the weekend, with Chief Minister N D Tiwari expressing optimism over the revival of watermills to boost the rural economy of the state.

After establishing model watermills, which are currently producing 2-5 kw of electricity, the government will upgrade them up to the 9 kw level and give them the status of cottage industry.

The UREDA will also set up an association of watermillers in the 13 districts of the state as well a state-level federation. A survey will be undertaken to enlist all watermill owners and prepare a directory in this regard.

A move is afoot to rope in non-government organisations (NGOs), which have acquired proficiency in the revival of watermills in northern India.

The Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organisation (HESCO), a Dehra Dun-based NGO, is engaged in reviving watermills in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh.

The government will also provide special training to 100 para-watermill technicians for operation and maintenance purposes.

"There are 13,500 watermills in Uttaranchal, the survey for which has recently been completed. The UREDA has also till now imparted training to nearly 25 watermillers," said A K Tyagi, chief project officer of the UREDA.