Govt sets time frame for implementation of Jermain dam project

Dehradun: Uttarakhand government on Tuesday set a time frame to launch construction of the long awaited Jamrani multipurpose dam project on Gola river in Nainital, awaiting implementation since 1975.

Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar held a meeting with Central Water Commission chairman Rakesh Kumar and officials from Uttar Pradesh to chalk out a time frame for implementation of the ambitious project. As per details worked out at the meeting, Uttarakhand Irrigation Department will address concerns the raised by the Central Water Commission on the project over next three days and a fresh detailed project report will be prepared by June 7, official sources here said. The clearance for the first phase of the project will be procured from the Ministry of Forest and Environment in a month and the nod for second phase by July, they said. The meeting was of the view that the project should be granted status of a national project and 90 per cent of expenses should be met by the Centre, sources said. The remaining 10 per cent of expenses should be shared by Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, which will be sharing its waters too. In case a dispute arises between the two neighbouring states over water sharing, the Central Water Commission will intervene, sources said. The chief secretary said he will himself monitor the progress of the project on a monthly basis. The 130-metre-high Jamrani dam was sanctioned on Gola river of Kathgodam area in Nainital district with an estimated cost of Rs 927.93 lakh in 2005 but its construction could not be started due to various reasons. PTI