Kevadia: The Garudeshwar weir dam being constructed in Narmada near the ‘Statue of Unity’ would not only ensure that the river around this monumental tourist attraction remains filled up all the time in the stretch of around 12 km like the Sabarmati along the riverfront in Ahmedabad but also act as an emergency energy-source.

The all important weir is a vital aid to the beauty of both the statue and the valley of flowers as it would make look the river beautiful by keeping it filled up. It is situated in Garudeshwar at a distance of 9 km from Sadhu bet the seat of statue of unity and 12 km from Kevadia where Sardar Sarovar dam is situated.

The government has claimed that it has not and would not cause any displacement in any of the around a dozen villages situated on both the banks of Narmada close to it. The fears that it would cause floods on reaching its maximum height have also been termed ‘base-less’.

The total height of the weir is to be kept at 31.75 meter. And so far it has been constructed up to around 27 m height. The work up to full height would be completed in next around six months.

J K Garasia, Executive Engineer of the Hydro Power division-4 of the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd, who takes care of compensation process of around 12 weir project affected villages including Vagadiya, Indravarna, Garudeshwar, Nana and Mota Pipariya, Vasantpura and Gora, said ‘It is to maintain water level in the 12 km stretch of the river from Gadureshwar to the Sardar Sarovar Narmada dam in Kevadia (around 3.5 km from the statue site) for production of electricity through the reversible turbines at the river bed. This in turn would also ensure that the river in and around the statue remains filled-up round the year. From the water thus stored all the six turbines of the river bed hydel power plant could be run for six continuous hours,’ he said.

The 12 km stretch is also being developed as a river bank garden named valley of garden, which was also inaugurated by PM Modi. The water in the river would also make it look beautiful to the national and international tourists visiting the area which has now become an international tourist destination after the unveiling of 182 m high statue of Sardar Patel which is the world’s tallest statue.

The dam’s main power plant ie river bed one houses six 200 MW Francis pump-turbines to generate electricity and include a pumped-storage capability. Additionally, a power plant on the intake for the main canal ie canal bed contains five 50 MW Kaplan turbine-generators. The total installed capacity of the power facilities is 1,450 MW.

On being asked about the allegation that there there were issues regarding acquisition of land for the weir dam on the river bank in the around a dozen villages, Garasia said,’ ‘We have so far acquired 170 acre of land and would acquire another 40 to 45 acres mainly in Kevadia and Gabhana villages. All the norms for compensation have been followed. The fear of flood due to the weir and rumours of submerging of fields with standing crop are all baseless. The construction of weir, started in December 2014, would be completed in another six months,’ he said adding that some of the villagers who claim that their land has been acquired or submerged have no proof in document and the new village maps.

Collector of Narmada R S Ninama also said that there won’t be any displacement due to the weir project. ‘Only small pieces of lands of one to 2 acre dimension have been acquired along the river bank and no house or residential area has been affected. No body is being displaced due to it,’ he added.

DeshGujarat