Those living in the villages surrounding the Tehri dam reservoir are anxious of their safety after they got to know that the State Government granting conditional permission to the Tehri Hydro Electric Corporation (THDC) India limited to raise the level of water in the reservoir to 830 metres.
If the level of the 42 square kilometre lake is raised to 830 metres, instead of the 825 metres allowed at present, the people in as many as 44 villages would face threat to their life and property.
About 10,000 people living in Neri, Pirada, Hadiyadi, Jalwal, Nangaon, Indrola, Uthad, Pipola, Gadolia, Padagali, Baur, Motna, Bhainga,Chanthi, Saud, Uppu and dozens of other villages fear that a rise in the level of water in the dam reservoir would threaten their villages which are prone to landslides and land subsidence.
The residents of these villages recall with dread the 2010 incident when the THDC officials had filled the reservoir till 830 metres after a Supreme Court nod that had resulted in several houses in Chinyalisaud area collapsing into the the dam reservoir.
Following this, the State Government had asked the THDC to decrease the level of water in the reservoir to 825 metres but the affected people had not been provided any relief.
Now, even as the people affected by raising the reservoir water level in 2010 await rehabilitation, the Government has granted conditional permission for raising the reservoir’s level due to which people in the surrounding areas are considerably agitated and apprehensive.
The villagers find no solace in the Government’s stand that it has asked the THDC to follow some conditions and ensure rehabilitation of the affected persons. When the THDC has so far not been able to satisfactorily rehabilitate the people affected in 2010, the villagers find it hard to trust the authorities to ensure compensation and rehabilitation this time.
According to Tehri Dam Sangharsh Samiti president Prem Dutt Juyal, the survey reports have also indicated that several villages in the area would suffer land subsidence and even landslides, if the Tehri dam reservoir water level is raised to 830 metres. He strongly opposed the Government’s decision to allow this. “The villagers will be forced to protest if this permission is not withdrawn,” he warned.