77 Families Affected as Uttarakhand Village Submerged for Vyasi Hydel Project

A view of the swollen Yamuna river. Image for representative purposes.

(Photo: Bidesh Manna/IANS)

Homes, agricultural lands and animal sheds belonging to residents of Lohari Village in Uttarakhand were overflown by the Vyasi reservoir reservoir on Monday, 11 April, as part of the ongoing 120-megawatt hydropower project in the region.

Speaking to news agency PTI, Dehradun District Magistrate R Rajesh Kumar indicated that around 77 families have been impacted by the long-awaited hydel project.

As per the PTI report, the villagers were issued a 48-hour eviction notice after several rounds of talks on 9 April.

While the district administration claims that it is undertaking all required relocation and compensation efforts, the villagers grapple with the reality of their homes drowning in the reservoir in front of their eyes.

Gumani Devi, a local elderly woman, spoke to PTI and said, "It is hard to believe that the village is gone, that it is a thing of the past."

The District Magistrate, meanwhile, indicated that the affected locals have been "adequately compensated", and "we are looking for a piece of land close to their former village where they can be relocated as soon as possible," PTI reported.

The villagers have also reportedly been paid the house rent for a year in advance by the administration.

"Villagers have suggested a piece of land measuring 8-9 bighas near their former village for their relocation," the DM reportedly added.

The projects aims to generate 927 MU power and irrigate 40,000 hectare of land in the state.

(With inputs from PTI.)