By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 21 Nov: What is projected to be a beacon of hope for more than 11 lakh population of Dehradun city, the proposed Song River Dam Project has been pending since long for want of budget. However, now one can hope for some action on this project. The project, though proposed many years, was formally approved for the first time in 2022 by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. The Dhami Government also did not initiate any further action since as it was seeking Central approval and central budget to launch the project.
In the last two years since its formal approval, no action on the Song Dam drinking water project was seen even when it was declared as one of the most important projects of the state government. Nor was there any step taken towards rehabilitation of the families to be affected by this project. It was finally today that the CM chaired a meeting in this respect and directed expediting the project. In case the government moves ahead on this project, one can see the project taking off soon.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami held a meeting with departmental officials and directed the officials to take action on shifting the affected families from the site as soon as possible to start work on the Song Dam drinking water project.
It may be recalled that, in all, 275 families from two districts will be affected by the Song Dam drinking water project. Two years ago, when CM Dhami had approved the project, it was estimated to cost around Rs 1,306 crores. The government had also approved a Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy 2022 of the Song Dam Drinking Water Multipurpose Project in a cabinet meeting two years ago. Now the sources claim that the project is likely to cost around Rs 2021 crores. As per the policy approved two years ago, one village in Dehradun and four villages in the Tehri district will be directly affected by the Song Dam drinking water project and they are to be rehabilitated. The total number of affected families in these five villages is 275 that will have to be rehabilitated.
Once the project is completed, more than 11 lakh people of Dehradun will receive 150 MLD of drinking water daily. The proposed Song Dam drinking water project is crucial as it will provide 150 MLD of drinking water daily to about 11 lakh people living in Dehradun city and surrounding areas by the year 2053. This project is proposed to be undertaken by the Uttarakhand Project Development and Construction Corporation Ltd (UPDCC). The construction is expected to be completed within 5 years from the commencement date.
In addition to drinking water, the Song Dam will also generate approximately 6 MW of electricity. In 2022, the Central Water Commission approved the design of the Song Dam drinking water project. The height of the Dam to be built on the Song River is about 148 meters which will be able to generate about 6 MW of electricity. For this, a 6 MW capacity powerhouse will be built in Kumalda village near Song Dam. According to the government, the Song River Dam project is a significant step towards solving Dehradun’s water supply issues and ensuring sustainable development for the region.
The Song River Dam is slated to be a high concrete gravity dam constructed on the Song River near Sondana Village. This substantial water supply will not only meet the growing needs of the city’s population but will expectedly also significantly improve the groundwater levels, which have been depleting over the years as much of the drinking water supplied to Dehradun residents is ground water. Dehradun currently has around 283 tubewells supplying drinking water to its residents. These tubewells, along with surface water sources, are the primary contributors to the city’s water supply. However, in addition to the ground water level getting rapidly depleting in and around the city, water scarcity remains a challenge, especially as rising temperatures have reduced the groundwater levels and the efficiency of these tubewells. Song river dam project can come as a major relief for the residents.
