Himachal Pradesh News
Renuka Dam Protest Intensifies: Displaced Families Allege Exclusion from Rehabilitation Lists in Himachal Pradesh
Tensions are rising around the ambitious Renuka multipurpose dam project as displaced families staged a strong protest on Thursday near the Giri river, demanding fair rehabilitation and compensation.
Tensions are rising around the ambitious Renuka multipurpose dam project as displaced families staged a strong protest on Thursday near the Giri river, demanding fair rehabilitation and compensation.
Voicing years of frustration, members of the Renuka Dam Jan Sangharsh Samiti gathered at the protest site, raising slogans against project authorities and accusing them of neglecting their concerns. The demonstration reflects growing unrest among locals who claim they are being sidelined even as the project moves forward.
At the heart of the protest lies a serious allegation — the exclusion of genuinely affected families from official rehabilitation lists. According to villagers, the number of recognized displaced families has been quietly reduced over time. In one case, nine families living near the proposed diversion tunnel area were initially marked as affected, but that number reportedly dropped to six and eventually just two.
Adding to the uncertainty, seven Nepalese families who have cultivated the land for decades now fear losing both their homes and livelihoods without any clear rehabilitation plan.
Residents also made troubling claims of pressure tactics. Many allege they are being asked to sign affidavits stating they are vacating the land voluntarily — a move they fear could strip them of their right to compensation and resettlement benefits.
People from villages including Kheri, Siun, Mohtu, and Rajana actively participated in the protest, rejecting the rehabilitation sites offered so far, calling them unsuitable for living. The Sangharsh Samiti reiterated its demand for proper land allocation and transparent policies.
The Renuka dam project, being executed by HP Power Corporation Limited, has already entered the construction phase. Package I has been awarded to Patel Engineering Limited, which will build three large diversion tunnels, along with inlet-outlet structures and nearly 6 kilometers of access roads in the Dadahu region within 30 months.
Despite the protests, officials have attempted to reassure the affected population. Vinay Kumar, present at the recent bhoomi pujan ceremony, stated that displaced families would be given priority in employment opportunities. General Manager Arun Kapoor also confirmed that cases of excluded families are currently under review, assuring that the administration is sensitive to public concerns.
The Renuka Dam, planned on the Giri river — a tributary of the Yamuna — is expected to impact nearly 7,000 people across 41 villages and 17 panchayats. Out of these, 1,408 families face direct displacement, making rehabilitation a critical and urgent issue.
Although the project has been under discussion for nearly two decades, progress on rehabilitation remains slow and incomplete, fueling distrust among locals.
The foundation stone of the project was laid by Narendra Modi on December 27, 2021. With an estimated cost of ₹6,947 crore and 90% central funding, the dam aims to address water shortages in the National Capital Region.
However, as protests grow louder, the Renuka Dam Jan Sangharsh Samiti has warned of intensifying its agitation if their demands for fair rehabilitation and justice are not addressed soon.
