DEHRADUN: Residents of a cluster of villages in Pithoragarh district which will be submerged by the Pancheshwar dam, oart of the 5,040 MW Indo-Nepal power project, have condemned the “duplicity” of the government in celebrating ‘Himalaya Diwas’ while building the dam against the wishes of locals, who will lose their land and homes because of it.
Around 30,000 families of over 123 villages in Uttarakhand will be relocated due to the project. Shankar Kharayat, resident of Jholaghat village, said, “Pressure has been created on the villagers, with officials telling us the dam will surely come up because it was an ambitious project of the Prime Minister. We were not told which part of our villages would be submerged, or how and where we would be relocated and compensated.”
Lalit Pal of Bagliyagaad village said, “Is there any compensation for disconnecting us from the land of our ancestors, temples of our deities or bond with other villagers and the Kali river?”
Manoj Kathait of Tibri village said, “Two Indian states are already fighting over water sharing. After the dam, India and Nepal may start quarrelling over it. For years we guarded the porous border. After we leave, let the government worry about the area.”
Trilok Singh of Silona village alleged that the public hearing on August 11 in Pithoragarh was a “hogwash” because most villagers could not reach there on time due to heavy rain.
Around 30,000 families of over 123 villages in Uttarakhand will be relocated due to the project. Shankar Kharayat, resident of Jholaghat village, said, “Pressure has been created on the villagers, with officials telling us the dam will surely come up because it was an ambitious project of the Prime Minister. We were not told which part of our villages would be submerged, or how and where we would be relocated and compensated.”
Lalit Pal of Bagliyagaad village said, “Is there any compensation for disconnecting us from the land of our ancestors, temples of our deities or bond with other villagers and the Kali river?”
Manoj Kathait of Tibri village said, “Two Indian states are already fighting over water sharing. After the dam, India and Nepal may start quarrelling over it. For years we guarded the porous border. After we leave, let the government worry about the area.”
Trilok Singh of Silona village alleged that the public hearing on August 11 in Pithoragarh was a “hogwash” because most villagers could not reach there on time due to heavy rain.
TOI
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