New Delhi: The decision to raise the height of Narmada dam to 138.72 metres was taken after the Social Justice Ministry said it was “100 per cent satisfied” over the rehabilitation of displaced people, Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati today said.
“According to the report of the Social Justice Ministry, they (Narmada Control Authority) have done all kinds of things they have to do...,” she told reporters in the backdrop of Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel announcing that the NCA has given its approval to raise the height of the dam.
Bharti said, “All the responsibilities they have to commit they have done. They have full satisfactory report in this meeting (of NCA) today. That is why the decision was taken by the Water Resources Secretary,” Bharti told reporters here. She also said that the four states, which are concerned over the issue, were consulted.
Gujarat Health Minister and spokesperson Nitin Patel had stated that the meeting of the NCA in Delhi gave the approval for raising the dam's height.
The decision to raise the height of the dam comes after eight years.
The foundation stone of the dam was laid by country's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on April 5, 1961. The project, however, got embroiled in controversy over issues of displacement of project-affected people. However, the Supreme Court had earlier given the approval for the project to raise the height of the dam to 138.72 The main dam is 1,210 metres long and 163 metres high from the deepest foundation level.
It is the second largest concrete gravity dam (by volume) after Grand Coulee in the US and having world third largest spillway discharging capacity, as per the website of Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited said.
