Panchkula: The Government of Himachal Pradesh and Haryana have signed a pact for the construction of the Adi Badri Dam at Panchkula on Friday for rejuvenation of the Saraswati River.
Chief Secretaries of both States have signed the MoU on behalf of both the States.
Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar were present at the historic movement.
The project is estimated to cost Rs. 215.35 crores.
The project is envisaged to revive the Saraswati River. For the project, the total proposed area, 31.16-hectare landfalls in Himachal which include 0.67-hectare private land and 30.49-hectare forest land. The Dam would get 224-hectare metre water from the Somb River of Himachal Pradesh.
After the construction of the dam, the reservoir would help to provide water for the Saraswati River, which will flow throughout the year with 20 cusecs water all the time. The river will flow through 44 villages of Yamunanagar district for about 49 km.
Himachal would get 3.92-hectare metre water per annum for drinking water requirements and 57.96-hectare metre for irrigation for the affected habitations.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said the project would fulfil the dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Modi had shown commitment to revive the Saraswati River while addressing the people on 3rd April 2014 at Kurukshetra.
Jai Ram Thakur hoped that the project would revive the Saraswati River, and also help in water conservation in the region.
Chief Minister Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar said that the construction of Dam Saraswati River would flow throughout the year with 20 cusecs water all the time.
Manohar Lal Khattar said that Adi Badri Dam Construction Monitoring Committee has been constituted for planning, supervising and monitoring of Adi Badri Dam works which comprise of Additional Chief Secretary Irrigation Haryana, Secretary Jal Shakti Vibhag Himachal Pradesh, Engineer-in-Chiefs and other representatives of both States.
Funding of the Project
Haryana government would fund the project. However, both states would be free to prepare the Tourism Projects as well as any other infrastructure facilities which may be required for the welfare and development of local people from their own resources, without compromising the primary objectives of the project.
21 families displaced for the project
In Himachal Pradesh, 21 families were displaced for the construction of the Dam. Himachal CM assured to rehabilitate the affected families properly. He also announced to rehabilitate them in accordance with prevalent policies of Himachal Pradesh as well as any other prevalent laws.
