Uttarakhand hydel project commissioning delayed

The commissioning of the 304-Mw Maneri Bhali phase-II hydel project in Uttarkashi district, being constructed by state-run Uttarkhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (UJVNL), has been delayed for a few more days.

The run-of-the-river project, scheduled to be completed before November 9, is now expected to be commissioned by the month end.

Being built on the river Bhagirathi, 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 thus delaying the commissioning further.

For the construction of the project, UJVNL took a loan of Rs 1,200 crores from the Power Finance Commission (PFC).

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.

"We are trying to complete the left over civil work in the shortest possible time," a top official of UJVNL said.

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

The project has attracted controversies ever since it began construction in 1989. Within two years, the erstwhile Uttar Pradesh government suspended the construction work due to lack of funds. It was only in 2002 that the Uttarakhand government revived the project through the PFC loan.

When contacted, Uttarkashi District Magistrate R Meenakshi Sundaram said a four-member committee has been set up to look into the rehabilitation issue pertaining to the project. "Before raising the water level to 1,108 meters, we will settle the rehabilitation issue," said Sundaram.