A CASE STUDY

ON
TEHRI DAM

Prepared by-

Soumya Sandipa 2012A2PS009P

Shruti Pandey 2012A2PS049P

Submitted to-

Dr. Anupam Singhal

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 INDEX
1) INTRODUCTION
2) HISTORY
3) TECHNICAL DETAILS
4) NEW TEHRI
5) THDC INDIA LTD.
6) CONSTRUCTION OF TEHRI DAM- STUDY OF FORCES AND GEOLOGICAL ASPECTS
i) ROCKS AND EXTERNAL MATERIALS USED- STUDY & CONSCEQUENCES
ii) FILLING THE EARTH- ROCK FILLED TEHRI DAM
iii) CHOICE OF DAM SITE
7) ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
8) ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
i) MEASURES FOR ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS
ii) MEASURES FOR SOCIAL IMPACTS
9) BENEFITS TO NATION
10) BENEFITS TO NEARBY REGION
11) DISADVANTAGES AND RISK
i) SEISMIC RISK
ii) DISPLACEMENT AND REHABILITATION
iii) ENVIRONMENTAL CONSCEQUENCES
iv) CORRUPTION
v) OVERSHOOTING ECONOMIC COSTS
12) REHABILITATION PLAN
i) BROAD FEATURES OF PLAN
ii) IMPROVEMENTS OF R&R PACKAGE
iii) IMPROVEMENTS BY HRC
iv) IMPROVEMENTS AFTER HRC
13) REHABILITATION PACKAGE
14) INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISM
15) FUTURE SCOPES
16) CONCLUSION
17) REFERENCES

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We have taken efforts in this project. However, it would not have been possible
without the kind support and help of many individuals. We would like to extend
our sincere thanks to all of them.

We are highly indebted to Dr. Anupam Singhal sir for his guidance and constant
supervision as well as for providing necessary information regarding the project &
also for his support in completing the project.

We would like to express our gratitude towards our friends, studying at THDC
Institute of Hydropower Engineering & Technology for their kind co-operation,
encouragement which helped us in completion of this project and providing us
with journals about Tehri Dam from their library.

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 TEHRI DAM

Introduction:
Tehri Dam is a multi-purpose rock and earth-fill embankment dam on the Bhagirathi
River near Tehri in Uttarakhand, India. Tehri is located 200 miles north east of Delhi, in the state
of Uttaranchal. With a height of 260 meters (855 feet), the dam is the fifth tallest in the world
and the tallest dam of India. The Tehri Dam withholds a reservoir for irrigation, municipal water
supply and the generation of 1,000 megawatts
(1,300,000 hp) of hydroelectricity.

The construction of the dam started in 1978 and phase 1

was completed by 2006. The cofferdam was completed in
1996. The construction cost was $1 billion. The owner of
the dam is THDC INDIA Ltd. Tehri Hydro Development
Corporation (THDC) is a joint venture of the Government
of India and the state government of Uttaranchal. In 1986
an Indo-Soviet agreement brought Soviet expertise and
aid of approximately $416 million to the project. In 2001 the German export credit agency
Hermes guaranteed loans to Voith Siemens Hydro to provide generating equipment for Tehri.

Tehri Development Project also includes the 97 meter high Koteshwar Dam, under construction
14 miles downstream of Tehri Dam. The 400 MW Koteshwar Dam will either completely or
partially submerge 16 villages. It provides 270 million gallons of drinking water per day to
Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. It also gives stabilization to existing irrigation on 600,000
hectares land.

From its inception, Tehri dam has been opposed due to concerns over its environmental and
social impacts, and its ability to withstand earthquake damage. Tehri Dam officials have also
been implicated in several cases of corruption.

Tehri Hydro Power Complex (2400 MW), comprise the following components:
1. Tehri Dam & Hydro Power Plant (1000 MW)
2. Koteshwar Hydro Electric Project (400 MW)
3. Tehri Pumped Storage Plant (PSP) (1000 MW)

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The two lower tunnels of the dam were closed in December 2001 submerging the main bridge
leading to Tehri town and nearby areas. The last two tunnels, which are at a higher level, were
closed by December 2002.The total capacity of the dam is 4.0km3

History:
The timelines for the Tehri Dam project are summarized as follows:

1961 - A preliminary investigation for the Tehri Dam Project was conducted.

1972- Design was completed with a 600 MW capacity power plant based on the study.

1978- Construction began after feasibility studies but was delayed due to financial,
environmental and social impacts.

1986-Technical and financial assistance was provided by the USSR but this was interrupted
years later with political instability. India was forced to take control of the project and at first it
was placed under the direction of the Irrigation Department of Uttar Pradesh.

1988-The Tehri Hydro Development Corporation was formed to manage the dam and 75% of
the funding would be provide by the federal government, 25% by the state. Uttar Pradesh
would finance the entire irrigation portion of the project.

1990-The project was reconsidered and the design changed to its current multi-purpose.

2006 - Construction of the Tehri Dam was complete

2012 -. The second part of the project, the Koteshwar Dam was completed.

February 2016- The pumped storage power plant is slated for commissioning.

Utta akha d state s Teh i Hyd oele t i da is a assi e -meter rock-and-concrete power
plant that supplies large amounts of electricity as well as drinking and irrigation water to the
g eate pa t of o the I dia, i ludi g the ou t y s second-most populous city of Delhi.

It has also created a large reservoir that inundated the town of Old Tehri, along with
approximately 110 villages, displacing between 50,000 and 100,000 people (Joshi 2006).

The recently constructed city of New Tehri was designated for some of these displaced people
who lost their homes and businesses.

These people, accustomed to their long-established life along the Bhagirathi and Bhilangna
Rivers, now adapt to a new environment on the side of a mountain which is not directly
accessible to the river.

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Technical details:
Type of Dam: Embankment, earth and rock-fill

River: Bhagirathi River

Height: 260.5 m (855 ft)

Length: 575 m (1,886 ft)

Width (Crest): 20 m (66 ft)

Width (Base): 1,128 m (3,701 ft)

Spillway Type: Gate controlled

Spillway Capacity: 15,540 m3/s (549,000 cu ft/s)

Total Capacity: 4.0 km3 (3,200,000 acre·ft)

Surface Area: 52 km2 (20 sq mi)

Turbines: Vertical Francis turbines

Installed Capacity: 1,000 MW (1,300,000 hp)

Max. Planned: 2,400 MW

The installed hydro capacity is 1,000 MW along with an additional 1,000 MW of pumped
storage hydroelectricity. The lower reservoir for the pumped-storage plant is created by the
Koteshwar Dam downstream.

The Tehri Dam and the Tehri Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Power Plant are part of the Tehri
Hydropower Complex which also includes the 400 MW Koteshwar Dam. The complex
provides irrigation to an area of 270,000 hectares (670,000 acres), irrigation stabilization to an
area of 600,000 hectares (1,500,000 acres), and a supply of 270 million imperial gallons
(1.2×106 m3) of drinking water per day to the industrialized areas of Delhi, Uttar
Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

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New Tehri
The newly built well planned modern town nestles at a height of 1,550 metres overlooking the
massive artificial lake and Tehri dam built on the Bhagirathi and Bhilangana river. It has taken
over as district headquarters of Tehri Garhwal from the Old Tehri town and was established to
rehabilitate the Old Tehri, which was submerged into the waters of the Tehri Dam. In fact New
Tehri is considered to be Asia's most comprehensive and successful rehabilitation program. The
gleaming township has developed into a lovely hill resort.

General Information

Altitude- 1550 mts. To 1950 mts.

Climate -Min. Temp. 40 C, Max. Temp. 300 C

Language- Garhwali, Hindi & English

Transport

Air – Nearest is Jollygrant 93 kms

Rail – Rishikesh is the nearest railway station, 76 kms.

Road – New Tehri is well connected by road to all important stations of Garhwal Division like
Dehradun, Mussoorie, Haridwar, Pauri, Rishikesh, Uttarkashi etc. Private Taxies abd jeeps are
available for trips to nearby towns of chamba & Tehri. Bus service connect to New Tehri to
Tehri, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Dehradun, Mussoorie

THDC India Limited-

THDC India Limited (Formerly Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited), is a company
jointly promoted by Government of India and Government of Uttar Pradesh. The equity is
shared in the ratio 75:25 between GoI and GoUP for the power component. It was
incorporated in July to de elop, ope ate a d ai tai the MW Tehri Hydro Power
Complex and other Hydro Projects. THDC India Limited is a Mini Ratna Category-I Enterprise.

At present the company has two power plants in operation namely Tehri Dam (1000 MW) and
Koteshwar Dam (400 MW).The corporation has grown into a multi –Project organization with
projects spread over various states as well as the neighboring country, Bhutan.

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THDICL presently has 16 projects totaling to an installed capacity of 8796 MW under various
stages of implementation/development.

Construction of Tehri Dam- Study of Forces and Geological Aspects

1. Rocks and External materials used – Consequences

 The Tehri dam rocks are 65% clayey and are thus highly fractured and ridden by
earthquake fault lines. Such fault lines could be reactivated by the sheer load of
the water. There are ominous signs of a steep increase in the frequency of
earthquakes not only close to the dam but far away from the dam.
 Alternatively, the swelling of the soil layer can impose a pressure on the rock-
layers and tend to crack them. Moreover, when the wet soil layers dry they
shrink. This expanding-drying cycle can result in the rock-layer cracking further
and add to the crushing, sand-forming, mechanisms.

 The Tehri dam is built 1.5 km downstream of the confluence of Bhagirathi (starting
from Gomukh) and the Bhilangana river. The rocks around the river gorge are mainly
of the Chandpur phyllite kind. Chandpur phyllite are folded and are of grayish green
color probably of the kind shown.
 The rocks here have undergone various magnitudes of tectonic deformation and have
been summarized in Fig 4, right. Grade I Phyllites are massive in character and are
predominantly arenaceous (describing rocks or deposits that are composed of sand
grains or have a sandy texture). Phyllites of Grade II are conspicuously banded with
alterations of arenaceous and argillaceous (sedimentary rock that is made up of clay
or silt particles) and Phyllites of Grade III are mainly argillaceous and are generally
weathered, thinly foliated, sheared and shattered. Sheared Phyllites are the weakest
bed-rock unit in the gorge. When the Tehri dam tunneling was started there was very

8
 little actual in-tunnel engineering experience available anywhere, leave alone the
Himalaya.

 An L-shaped crack developed on Raika hills of Tehri (Fig 8, left), which has since then
become notorious for many accidents. These hills form part of the reservoir around
Teh i s da . The i age of this a k has t o featu es of interest. It shows the
vulnerable properties of the hill slope that consists of cracked slabs. The figure on the
right could indicate why. The picture on Fig 8 right depicting the crack occurs for
concrete and foundations where a foundation stair-steps down to follow a hill-slope and
probably shrinkage cracks.

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2. Filling the Earth-Rockfill Tehri Dam

 A major input that is required before a dam is built is the permeability (hydraulic
conductivity) of rock masses. When there is a wide variation in the permeability (as it is
for the Tehri rocks) dependence on an average value simply will not suffice especially if
one knows that collapse takes place at the weakest link.
 The discontinuity apertures in the rocks are the most important factor for the ro k s
hydraulic conductivity. The changes in apertures due to stress could have marked effect
on the hydraulic conductivity so that one requires in situ tests such as, what is called,
Lugeon tests.
 One of the main drawbacks of the Lugeon test is that each test it is limited to an area of
only ~ 100 m2 and a height of ~ 10m. In short, results of Lugeon tests on the Phyllite
rocks near the dam site could not be expected to give reliable engineering information.

 A cross section of the Tehri dam is given in Fig 9. The length across the valley at the crest
is ~ 575 m while the base width in the upstream-downstream direction is ~ 1000 m at
the base and nearly 20 m at the crest. The design requires an impervious core made up
of clayey materials and a shell of graded gravel that is topped with blasted rock which
should be massive and mostly quartz. However there is no certified expertise on the
stability of the dam to earthquakes, the stability of the surrounding slopes to mudslides
and collapse as well as to settlement.

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 The fragile nature of the rockfill as compared to the requirement of rocks surface size
et ee to size o et ee a d ft size as pe the d a i g i Fig is
not satisfied

 The rocks used for rockfills were obtained from Old Dobata area that lies approximately
5 km upstream of dam site on the right bank of Bhagirathi and new Dobata borrows in
Tehri Garhwal district. These rocks are technically described as tabular grains,
equigranular, granoblastic (fragments are irregular) in texture, and metamorphosed
from sedimentary rock sandstone. The main difference between the New Dobata
borrow and the Old Dobata borrow is that the former had nearly 99% quartz and were
white in color while that from the Old Dobata borrow had 96% quartz with more garnet
and mica. This suggests that the rocks from the old Dobata borrow were more clayish.
The old Dobata borrow rocks should not have been used for the top cover.

3. Choice of dam site

 Because of the very nature of the requirements for tall dams on main rivers, geological
boundaries such as thrust lines or major faults are not uncommon, since they provide
the necessary geomorphologic features. Major fault lines are known to exist at the Tehri
dam site.

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  Some of the features that require to be taken into account are given in Fig 11.Perhaps
the first and most important requirement these is that the rocks adjacent to the dam or
on the sides of the river should be stable to sliding when wet. The slopes of the banks of
the river are dominated by Debris or remains of broken rock because of high levels of
fracture, and faulting (of the earthquake kind) and sedimentation.

 As discussed above hydro geological reasons such as low grade phyllitic rocks in the
abutments and rim slopes with increased soil moisture due to soaking by the increased
height of the reservoir could lead to a sliding of bedrocks and cause large landslides.
These landslides would increase the sedimentation rate and drastically reduce the
da s life fo po e ge e atio o i igatio .

 Because of the high levels of fracture and sandy character the slopes of the hills are
expected to be close to the critical angle of 35 o .This is what is found for the higher parts
of the slope. The lower regions of the surrounding hills have a slope considerably larger
than 35o, however. One may therefore expect these slopes to slide and slip, especially if
they soaked and wet as when the reservoir is full. If the entire slope was to attain this
critical angle , the level of the bottom of the river would rise roughly to 650-660 ft.
Flood waters from higher ranges would fill the river up further.

Environmental Impacts:
The Tehri Dam has been the object of protests by environmental organizations and local people
of the region. The construction of the dam has resulted in destruction of houses of thousands
of people. The relocation of more than 100,000 people from the area has led to protracted
legal battles over resettlement rights, and ultimately resulted in the project's delayed
completion.

Since 2005, filling of the reservoir has led to the reduced flow of Bhagirathi water from the
normal 1,000 cubic feet per second (28 m3/s) to a mere 200 cubic feet per second (5.7 m3/s).
This reduction has been central to local protest against the dam, since the Bhagirathi is
considered part of the sacred Ganges whose waters are crucial to Hindu beliefs.
At some points during the year, the tampering with Bhagirathi waters means this tributary
stops flowing. This has created resentment among many Hindus, who claim that the sanctity of
the Ganges has been compromised for the generation of electricity. Though the officials say

12
that when the reservoir is filled to its maximum capacity the flow of the river will again become
normal. In spite of concerns and protestation, operation of the Tehri Dam continues.

Impacts on the surroundings due to the dam are-:

a. Change in the (i) water chemistry, especially with respect to dissolved oxygen and (ii)
turbidity of water.
b. Impact on biodiversity, i.e., flora and fauna of the area.
c. Obstruction of movements of migrating fish species during breeding season.
d. Rivers carry a lot of sediment, which on construction of a dam, will be locked up
behind the dam wall. The collected silt in the reservoir eats away the capacity of the
reservoir. This impact of reducing the capacity and life of reservoir was studied.
e. Impact of water accumulation on the upstream side of the dam, which causes
inundation of land including forest-land.
f. Since 109 villages (full or partial) and Tehri town (full) were affected and the
residents were to vacate their ancestral homes and agricultural fields, a scheme was
prepared, to resettle these people, with the idea to improve their living standard,
keeping their social bonds intact.
g. Problem of water-logging and salinity of the land in the command area.

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Environmental Impact Assessment
Based on the impact assessment studies, various mitigating measures were designed. In
order to mitigate probable impacts following measures/safeguards were taken:

MEASURES FOR ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS

1. Compensatory Afforestation-
Forest land of 4193.813 ha. were diverted for construction of Tehri Dam
Project and Koteshwar Project (in the downstream of Tehri Project). This
forest-land included the land used in construction of Project, Project colonies,
resettlement colonies and filling of reservoir

2. Catchment Area Treatment-

In order to reduce soil erosion (for reducing sedimentation in the reservoir),
the Tehri Project had completed the Catchment Area Treatment (CAT) in the
e ti e deg aded at h e t, i a eas of High a d Ve y High e osio lass. .

3. Command Area Development-

Command Area Development Plan had been implemented by the Irrigation
Departments of the State Governments of Uttarakhand and U.P. In order to
mitigate the likely problem of water-logging and salinity, the network of field
channels and drains were developed.

4. Flora-
In CAT works, the species as recommended by Botanical Survey of India (BSI),
based on their flora study of the area, have been planted. A botanical Garden
in an area of 14.28 ha. has also been established and plantation of special
species coming under submergence has been completed, so as to preserve
important flora of the region.

5. Fauna-
Faunal studies were got conducted through Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), for
fauna affected due to formation of reservoir. As per ZSI studies there will be
no adverse impact on mammals, Aves (Birds), Reptiles (Snakes and Lizards),
Ambhibia (Frogs & Toads) and Pisces (Fresh Water Fishes) due to proposed
reservoir except on Tor-Putitora (Mahseer Fish).

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 6. Water Quality Maintenance-
The water quality modeling study had been carried out, which concluded that
no specific measures are required and there would be no adverse effect on the
water quality due to impoundment. However, the work on water quality
monitoring on Tehri Reservoir, both upstream and downstream is being carried
out at 5 monitoring stations.

7. Green Belt-
A green Belt have been planned to be created along the rim of the reservoir
between 850 m above MSL and 1050 m above MSL. The idea for developing
the green belt is to check soil erosion and resultant siltation of the reservoir; to
protect and regenerate the vegetation in the rim area; to increase the natural
beauty of the landscape.

8. Impact on Human Health-

A comprehensive study of the potential health impacts of Tehri dam was
conducted. National Malaria Eradication Programme (NMEP) and Malaria
Research Centre (MRC) carried out detailed field investigations of the area.
Action-plan for preventive/mitigation measures is being implemented.

MEASURES FOR SOCIAL IMPACTS :

BETTER QUALITY OF LIVING

I o de to a hie e the o je ti e of ette uality of life follo i g steps e e take th ough
R&R programme. The idea is to ensure that settlers are provided opportunities to become
established and economically self sustaining in shortest possible period.

Urban
1. Better quality of living. Urban population was provided better facilities like
better and wider road network, sewerage system, hospital with enhanced
capacity, stadium and other amenities, scope for expansion, planned growth.
2. Larger school buildings with hostel accommodation will enable their
management to enhance their capacities. A larger University campus has been
constructed in addition to a college keeping in view the future needs of the
region.

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 3. More employment opportunities due to high tourism potential and industries
likely to come up due to excellent infrastructure available in NTT and
surrounding areas.
4. 100 economically backward and houseless persons now have free housing at
NTT, of which they would become owners.

Rural
1. The all round development of the area would lead to prosperity, better
infrastructure and better quality of life.
2. New road network and taped drinking water supply save the time of people
which can be utilized for other works.
3. Due to the increase in land holding, i.e., against the existing less than 1 acre
average rain fed land holding, to the allotted 2 acres well irrigated and
developed land, yield and total income is expected to increase. Due to payment
of House Construction Assistance to PAFs, the PAF have been able to construct
better houses, which has resulted in improvement in their living standards.

4. Landless agricultural labors have also become owners of 2 acres of agricultural

land and independent houses.
5. People who will not be shifted (above the reservoir level) shall be benefited due
to Catchment Area Treatment, tourism, fishery development and horticulture,
apart form infrastructural development.

Employment & Income Generating Schemes

Employment

1. For employment in the THDC, preference was given to the dependents of the
project affected families, particularly in the category of workmen & supervisors,
subject to vacancies and their meeting the necessary laid down qualifications and
experience requirements.
2. Apart from this, the contractors deployed on the Project a sizable work force form
the local area.
3. In order to provide gainful employment to the local population, THDC awarded
small value contracts to the local people.
4. For treatment and soil conservation work in the Catchment Area, the forest and
other concerned departments, have employed more persons.
5. With the construction of the New Tehri Town at a high altitude, formation of
reservoir, better road network etc., it is expected that there will be an all round

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 development in the area, which will further enhance the employment
opportunities due to setting up of new non-polluting industries, better tourism
opportunities through developmental activities.
6. With a view to encourage the dispossessed families taking to useful vocations, like
poultry farming, floriculture, pisci-culture, animal husbandry, handicrafts, khadi
work etc. the Government agencies have taken up various self-employment /
income generating schemes.

Income Generating Schemes

Since it was not possible to give direct employment to all unemployed youth from PAFs in the
project, a group was formed in THDC for helping the resettled families to take advantage of
various schemes of Self-employment and Income Generation being implemented by various
Govt. and Semi Govt. agencies. The group organized various activities for the benefits of PAPs
as under-

1. Organized awareness camps at Athoorwala and Khand Raiwala so that PAPs

should come forward as rural entrepreneurs. The group invited the officials of
various State/Central Government agencies like Khadi Village & Industry
Commission, State Horticulture & Food Preservation Dept., State Sericulture
Dept., State Fisheries Dept., Lead bank & Poultry Dept., etc.

2. Being influenced with these awareness programmes PAPs started showing the
interest in various schemes. PAPs interested for Mushroom cultivation
requested the group for organizing training. Group arranged training in three
batches through UP State Horticulture & Food Preservations Dept.

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BENEFITS TO NATION:-

1) 2400 MW of environment friendly Peaking Power (6532 MU of Annual Energy) – 1000 MW

(3532 MU of Annual Energy) in Stage-I. This is bound to lead to industrial and agricultural
growth in the Northern Region.
2) 12% power free to home state, apart from Power as per their share, where distress is
caused by setting up the project at the specific site.

3) Additional energy form downstream run-off-the river schemes.

4) Irrigation of 2.7 lakhs ha. of new area, besides stabilization of irrigation in already irrigated
6.0 lakhs ha.

5) 300 cusecs (162 million Gallons per day) of water supply to Delhi, which will meet drinking
water need of 4 million people.
6) 200 cusecs (108 million gallons per day) of water supply to UP which will meet drinking
water need of about 3 million people.
7) The project would lead to all round development of the region
through better infrastructure and easy availability of
electricity, particularly peak time power

8) Flood moderation during monsoon by way of storage of excess

water.
9) Development of pisciculture.
10) Integrated development of the catchment area .
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BENEFITS TO NEARBY REGION:-
1) Development of Hill Station- For shifting of old Tehri Town a new modern town named as
New Tehri Town (NTT) has been developed at a height of 1550-1850 m. above MSL which is
at height almost similar to that of Mussorrie. This town has all modern facilities.

2) Better Road Network- Due to construction of Project, roads of the area have been widened
and improved which made communication easier and comfortable. Rishikesh-Chamba-NTT
roads have also been widened and geometry have been improved which has resulted in
reduction of journey time. .

3) Education- For shifting of educational institutions of Old Tehri Town, larger buildings with
modern facilities were constructed so that more number of students can be
accommodated, while having scope for further expansion in future.
1. In most of the educational institutions, Hostel facilities for 860 students have
been provided, though it did not exist in Old Tehri. Thus, more students coming
from the nearby areas will be benefited as NTT is expected to develop as a
nodal center for education in the region.
2. Against existing degree college running in Old Tehri Town, a degree college and
a big university campus has been constructed at Badshahithaul which can
accommodate 400 residential students and also the teaching staff.
3. In addition, for the students of villages who were studying in Old Tehri, 4 degree
colleges have been constructed at project cost. Similarly, against one Inter
College in Old Tehri, one Inter college in N.T.T. and 4 Inter colleges in villages
have been constructed.
4) Health-

 Against 22 beds Hospital of Old Tehri, 75 beds Hospital have been

constructed at New Tehri Town, with modern medical facilities. In addition,
5 numbers Primary Health Centers with indoor treatment facilities (totaling
to 70 beds) have been constructed at Project cost.
 To provide hygienic conditions, treated water is supplied to houses and a
central sewerage treatment plant has been constructed with a properly
designed network of sewer lines connecting houses and other buildings of
the town.

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5) Electrification- For improving electricity distribution system in nearby rural areas, 3 nos. 33
KV sub-stations have been constructed and network of LT/HT transmission lines have also
been made at project cost.

6) Drinking water facilities- 54 numbers drinking water schemes in rural areas and New Tehri
town have been constructed and made operational at Project cost. They shall now be
operated and maintained by respective agencies.

7) Shifting of District Head Quarter- With the shifting of district head quarter from Narendra
Nagar to New Tehri, a distance of about 60 km have been reduced for the urban and rural
population of Tehri resulting into saving of time and inconvenience to the public having
work at district level offices.

8) Setting of New Industries- The New Tehri Town is very suitable for setting up of Non-
pollutive Industries due to its better climate and excellent communication facilities. As the
power is now easily available after the construction of dam, more factories are likely to
come up as NTT has excellent infrastructure as well.

9) Tourism- The New Tehri Town is a pre-planned hill town with all modern facilities. Hence, it
is expected to develop as a major tourist hill station in near future.
By creation of lake due to the impoundment of the reservoir of Tehri Dam, scope for
water sports will be there.
Due to wider and improved roads, communication has become easier which is very important
for development of tourism .Due to tourism development, Hotel Industry in the area will
increase, which will further help the local people in getting employment.

10) Commercial Centre- New Tehri Town market is developing as a market for adjoining
towns/villages in the region and is expected to come up as a nodal commercial centre in the
region because of its vocational advantage and better infrastructure facilities like roads,
telecommunication and properly designed shopping centre. The shop area is also larger
and made of RCC structure and has greater storage capacities for goods.

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Disadvantages and Risks:
Seismic Risk -

 The design of the dam was finalized in the 1960s when scientific understanding of
seismic hazards and seismic engineering solutions were far less advanced than today.
Tehri Dam is situated in the highly active Central Himalayan Seismic Zone. It is designed
to withstand earthquakes of up to 7.2 on the Richter scale although experts predict that
earthquakes of magnitude 8.5 or more could strike this region.

 If the dam were to burst, several major towns downstream of the dam with a total
population of over half a million people could be wiped out Landslides are common on
the steep slopes a o e Teh i s ese oi . A ajo la dslide i to the ese oi ould ause
a huge wave, which could overtop the dam and cause massive damage downstream. It
would bury the towns of Rishikesh, Hardwar, Bijnor, Meerut, Hapur and Bulandshahar
within hours and devastating large areas of the Gangetic Plains.

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Displacement and Rehabilitation

 Although land acquisition started in 1979, resettlement of affected people is far from
complete. There is no master plan for rehabilitation nor even a clear estimate of the
number of people affected. Past estimates range from 67,500 to 97,000. According to
the 2002 Status Report of the Public Works Department of Tehri, the Dam displaced
12,547 families.

 This estimate excludes a large number of people who lost their lands but have not been
officially recognized as project-affected. Among those officially recognized, only half of
the fully affected and very few of the partially affected families have been resettled. In
most cases the land allotted is of poor quality or with multiple ownership claims.

Environmental Consequences:

The highly absorbent shale, customary in the valley, makes the slopes susceptible to
frequent slides. As the reservoir fills, landslides from above the submergence line
further heighten and compound the siltation problem.
In fact, landslides are a prevalent problem as a result of the deforestation and road-
building. The construction obstructs the flow of the river impeded Ganges as a result of
which the entire Gangetic valley.
Silt brought down from the upper reaches of the catchment and containing valuable
mineral deposits is caught behind the dam strangling the holy river. This has enormous
consequences for all who live on the Gangetic plain. It halts the flow of this natural
fertilizer could cause severe agricultural problems in the foreseeable future, possibly
even famine.
The residents of Old Tehri lived in a river valley at an average altitude of 1,115 feet
above sea level. Since relocation to New Tehri, the community has had to adapt to life at
5,085 feet.
The extreme elevation change has resulted in radical environmental differences that
include wider daily temperature ranges and a reduction in daily sunlight.
Though daytime temperatures can still be warm, as high as 105º F in the summer, it is
the conditions at night that offer the biggest change. Cold temperatures and blistering
wind drive people from the streets shortly after the sun falls behind the mountain,
which occurs not long after 4 p.m. during the winter.
The higher altitude of New Tehri has also resulted in a lengthened winter and
introduced the possibility of regular snow, since temperatures at the new site
commonly fall below freezing (Baruah and Sabhlok 1994).

22
Corruption :

The Central Bureau of Investigation is currently investigating six cases of corruption against
high-ranking officials of THDC for embezzlement of public money. The Hanumantha Rao
Committee report expressed concern about the high incidence of corruption in the
rehabilitation process.

Overshooting Economic Costs :

 The projected cost of Tehri Dam had gone up from $612 million in 1994 to $1.2 billion in
1999. A Cost benefit analysis commissioned by the Indian National Trust for Art and
Cultural Heritage (INTACH) concluded that the construction costs for Tehri are twice the
projected benefits.
 The INTACH study predicts the useful life of the dam would be reduced to 62 years by
the huge volumes of sediment that will be trapped in its reservoir. A recent study shows
that the cost of electricity per unit from Tehri is almost twice the average cost of power
supply in the neighboring states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

23
Urban Issues :

 Ne Teh i is a pla ed ity that as desig ed to host , people s ho es a d

businesses. Yet its citizens describe the new city as awkward, cold, and unpopular.
Already facing overwhelming opposition from the displaced citizens, the government
designed it in a way that would appease the upset immigrants.
 Within New Tehri, residents have expressed a concern over transportation problems
that exist both within the community as well as with neighboring cities and towns. The
city is a split-level town with a lower half of western block-style residential housing and
an upper half with markets, a school, and government facilities.
 The main intra-city accessibility problem concerns the difficulty of travel between the
upper and lower parts of the city, resulting in bottlenecking of main routes. Additionally,
walking within the city has been hampered due to its larger size and elevation changes
present throughout the city.
 Furthermore, the construction of the dam also cut the local region in half, with the
reservoir serving as the knife. With the existing bridges over the Bhagirathi being
submerged, cities directly to the east of New Tehri have virtually no access to their
district capital.

Political Conflict:

 The resettlement policies and the structural flaws of the dam hence provoked civil
protests, lawsuits and international attention that have stalled the project during its
construction period.
 The Tehri project was unsuccessfully challenged in the Supreme Court in the writ petition
filed by the Tehri Bandh Virodhi Sangarash Samiti (TBVSS) in 1985. In 1987, the Indian

24
 National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), an 'intervenor' in the petition and a
leading non-governmental organization in the field of conservation, sponsored an
independent assessment of the economic feasibility of the dam.
 The principal findings of the multi-disciplinary team that conducted the appraisal was that
the benefit to cost ratio of the Tehri dam, after calculating social and environmental costs
and benefits, workout to 0.56 to 1., well short of the 1.5:1 ratio adopted by the planning
Commission to sanction such projects.
 In addition, the Soviet Union agreed to help fund the project with loans at concession
terms and as part of the agreement reviewed the proposed project and made several
findings. The most important one was the high seismicity of the Tehri area had not been
adequately taken into consideration by Indian planners.
 Also, the Indian government had projected a useful life of 100 years, the actual figure
would be 62 years or less. Finally, while the authorities put the number of displaced
people, or oustees at 46,000, the INTACH team found that 85,600 people would be
displaced by the project.
 The Supreme Court dismissed the petition in 1990 after a very limited enquiry. Although
the Environmental Appraisal Committee had unanimously concluded that the Tehri project
should not be approved, the Central Government relied instead on an opinion of the
Department of Mines to convince itself and the court that the project was sound.
 The report of the high commission was again considered by the committee of Secretaries
in its meeting on 23rd April 1990. The committee of Secretaries found on consideration of
the report of the high level committee that the Tehri Dam as designed was safe and the
seismic potential of the site was taken into consideration by the experts. Later on 12th
May Dr. V.K.Gaur who had earlier agreed on the report, sent a note of dissent and
questioned the conclusion of the high level committee of experts, in respect of the safety
aspect.
 The committee of Secretaries met again on 10th August 1990 and discussed the
recommendations of the high level commission along with the dissent of Dr. Gaur.

REHABILITATION PLAN

The Rehabilitation Plan has been broadly divided into Rural Rehabilitation and Urban
Rehabilitation. Affected families under Rural Rehabilitation are categorized as "Fully affected"
or "Partially affected". The families whose 50% or more land is being acquired are treated as
fully affected. Those families whose less than 50% land is coming under submergence are
categorized as-

25
"Partially Affected". In case of urban population of Tehri Town, all 5291 families living in the
Town as on the cut-off date of 06.06.1985 are treated as fully affected.
Under Rural Rehabilitation, there are 5429 Fully Affected families due to Tehri Dam, which are
to be rehabilitated. Another 3810 rural families are Partially Affected and are not going to be
displaced; they would be paid cash compensation for their land under submergence.

BROAD FEATURES OF REHABILITATION POLICY

The basic principles that had guided the formation of the Rehabilitation Policy are:

a. Rural oustees to be compensated through allotment of agricultural land or cash in

lieu thereof.
b. The rural oustees should be settled in large blocks so that the fabric of their social
life remains intact.
c. Oustees or their representatives be involved to the extent possible in selecting the
rehabilitation centers.
d. To the extent possible, consideration be given to the preference of the oustees for
settlement at a particular centre.
e. Community facilities be provided at each of the rural rehabilitation centers at the
cost of the project even if these did not exist at their earlier settlements.

IMPROVEMENTS IN R&R PACKAGE FROM TIME TO TIME

The rehabilitation work of the Project affected families was commenced by the Govt. of U.P.
when the Project was under them. The Rehabilitation Policy including the location of New Tehri
Town
(NTT) had been evolved and decided by the State Government of U.P. after interaction with the
representatives of the local population. After the incorporation of THDC, the rehabilitation
work was handed over to the THDC in 1990.

26
IMPROVEMENTS BY HRC

On the demands for further improvements raised by the local population, the Government of
India in September, 1996 constituted a committee viz. Hanumantha Rao Committee (HRC) to
examine the Rehabilitation Policy of the Project and suggest further measures/improvements
etc.

The HRC submitted its recommendation to the Govt. in November 1997. The Govt. of India
after examining the recommendations of HRC, accepted certain additional benefits/measures,
which were incorporated in the Rehabilitation Policy of 1998.

The major recommendations of the Hanumantha Rao Committee, approved by the Govt. in
regard to rehabilitation of the affected population include definition of family so as to make all
major sons and major daughters who attained the age of 21 years on 19.07.1990 and
dependent parent (Mother/Father) of the fully affected entitled land owner eligible for ex-
gratia payment of Rs.33,000/-, i.e. 750 days minimum agricultural wage each; grant of house
construction assistance to the urban land owner families, linked with the progress of
construction and shifting; allotment of one constructed shop to the shop owners, recognition of
the right of people, living in the villages upstream of Tehri reservoir, over the water.

IMPROVEMENT AFTER HRC

After the Government decision of December 1998, on the recommendations of HRC,

following measures/ benefits were also agreed by the Government of India in consultation
with the State Government.

Rural
Enhancement of cash in lieu of land from Rs. 2 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh, house construction
assistance to fully affected house owners be given @ Rs. 1 lakh; increase in cash grants for
shifting and purchase of seeds and fertilizers; cash grants ranging from Rs. 80,000 to Rs.
1,20,000 for rural shop owners depending upon their location; liberalization of eligibility
criteria for land allotment and made eligible, those land owners in rural area who sold their
part land after 1978, but before issue of Section 4(1) notification under Land Acquisition
Act.

27
 Government has also allowed (i) reconstruction and relocation of public properties situated
below EL 835 m in partially submergence villages, at higher level for population residing
above submergence level; (ii) arrangement for Ferry boat and cable car services for cut-off
area; and (iii)
Heavy motor vehicle bridge across Bhagirathi river near Dobra village (this is in addition to
two medium motor vehicle bridges.

Urban
Amount of house construction assistance revised, varying from Rs. 2.5 lacs to Rs. 4.5 lacs
depending upon plot size; cost of flats and shops allotted to the entitled oustees at pre-
1989 construction cost, development cost not to be charged; State government allowed in
July pay e t of ash grants to shop keepers of old Tehri Town ranging from Rs. 1 lakhs
to Rs. 3 lakhs depending on category of shop, subject to the handing over of possession.

REHABILITATION PACKAGE

Within the framework of the set principles, which guided the formation of Rehabilitation
Policy, an attractive and a liberal rehabilitation package was evolved, which has been improved
from time to time without changing its basic features.

a) Rural Package

a. 2 acre, of developed irrigated land or half acre of developed irrigated land adjacent to
Municipal limits of Dehradun, Haridwar or Rishikesh cities or cash of Rs. 5 lacs in lieu
of allotment of land, as per their option.
b. Compensation for acquired land as per Land Acquisition Act plus solitium. Even if
acquired land is less than 2 acres, 2 acres of developed irrigated land is given, cost of
which to be adjusted from the amount of compensation payable in respect of
acquired land.
c. Cost of house property/trees acquired to be evaluated at the
PWD/Forest/Horticulture deptt. rates plus solitium. Further, ex-gratia equivalent to
amount of depreciation, subject to a maximum of Rs. 50,000/- is payable. Minimum
compensation in case of house is Rs. 1.00 lac.
d. Allotment of residential plot of 200 sq. m. to each family at nominal cost.
e. Cash grant for shifting is Rs. 5200/- and for seeds/fertilizers is Rs. 4960/-.

28
 f. Additional incentive grant of Rs. 15,000/- payable to those who shift within 6 months
from date of award of compensation or date of allotment of land, whichever is later,
after handing over their acquired property.
g. All the eligible additional family members for fully affected rural families attaining the
age of 21 years as on 19.07.90, and dependent parent (Mother/Father) would receive
ex-gratia amount equivalent to 750 days of minimum agricultural wage per member.
h. Cash grant ranging from Rs. 80,000/- to Rs. 1,20,000/- to each rural shop holder
depending upon the locations.

b) Urban Package

- Land owners including Nazul land holders are given residential plot of various size (60, 100,
150, 200, 250 and 300 sq.m.) in proportion to their holdings at very nominal cost (ranging
from Rs. 5 per sq. m. for plot up to 150 sq.m. to Rs. 150 per sq.m. for plots of size 300 sq.m.)
at locations as per choice, in addition to compensation of house property as calculated in
case of rural properties.
- House construction assistance, as grant to the land owners at following rates less
compensation already paid;
• –100 Sq.m. plot holders - Rs. 2.50 lacs
• -200 Sq.m. plot holders - Rs. 3.50 lacs
• -300 Sq.m. plot holders - Rs. 4.50 lacs

- Ready to built houses/flats to entitled tenant who were residing prior to 06.06.1985, on
subsidized cost at pre-1989 rates.
- Benap house owners who constructed house before 6.6.1985 are allotted either
house/flats or plots (if available).
- Allotment of shop at cost in NTT/Dehradun/Rishikesh to those running shops at Old Tehri
Town at pre-1989 rates.
- Co pe satio fo “aj-“ajja , fo shopkeepe s.
- One shop to be allotted to shop owner who were not running shop(s) themselves in O.T.T.
- Cash grant of Rs. 3000/- to Rs. 4000/- for transportation of household effects and Rs.
1500/- to Rs. 2000/- for commercial goods. In addition, entitled families who hand over
their acquired properties and shift to new allotted sites within a period of 6 months from
the date of allotment of plot/flat, an incentives grant of Rs. 12000/- per family would be
paid.
- One room flat to EWS families free of cost, upto a maximum of 100 families.

29
 - All additional eligible family members of entitled landowner families as per criteria defined
under rural package, get ex-gratia amount equivalent to 750 days of minimum agricultural
wage per member.
- Cash option allowed in lieu of allotment of plots (Rs. 1.10 lac to Rs. 3.00 lacs), flat (1.00 lac)
and shop (Rs. 0.25 lac to Rs. 0.60 lac).
- The urban families are resettled at New Tehri Town (NTT) or at Rishikesh or Dehradun, as
per their option. The NTT, newly developed, is at a height of 1350 to 1850 m., overlooking
the proposed lake, with a panoramic view of the Himalayas. It has all the modern facilities
for Education, Hospital, Financial Institutions, District Administration offices, Markets, Bus
Stand & places of worship etc.

INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISM
As per government decision, R&R woks were transferred to the U.P. State Government in
January 1999 for implementation, under control and supervision of Commissioner, Garhwal,
with funds to be provided by THDC. With the formation of Uttaranchal State, R&R was being
implemented by Uttaranchal/Uttarakhand State Government since January, 2001.

Subsequent to takeover, the Government of Uttaranchal have reconstituted the Co-ordination

Committee under the Chairmanship of Commissioner, Haridwar, Dehradun and other
Government and non-Government officials as members. The Co-ordination Committee has now
greater representation of the public representative; viz. MLA, Tehri; Chairman, Zila Parishad,
Tehri and Chairman, Nagar Palika Parishad, Tehri.

MONITORING MECHANISM FOR REHABILITATION

Government of India has constituted a Project Level Monitoring Committee (PLMC) for
conducting field visits to verify the satisfactory completion of various environmental safeguards
stipulated at the time of Project clearance and other specific recommendations accepted by the
Government.

Ministry of Environment & Forests, Govt. of India also constituted a High Level Inter Ministerial
Review Committee (IMRC) headed by Secretary, MOEF and including Secretary, Ministry of
Power, Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice, Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources also Chief

30
Secretary of Uttaranchal and U.P. as Special Invitees, to periodically review the environment
and rehabilitation and resettlement issues associated with the Tehri Hydro Electric Project and
also review the recommendations of the Project Level Monitoring Committee.

FUTURE SCOPES-
Estimation of permanent displacements of the Tehri dam in the Himalayas due
to future strong earthquakes -
The objective is to estimate permanent displacements of Tehri dam due to an earthquake of
magnitude Mw = 8·5, the occurrence of which has a high probability in the region, and for an
earthquake of magnitude Mw = 7·0, for which the dam has been currently designed. A two-
dimensional
finite element analysis and five different semi-empirical and empirical methods, like, Seed and
Makdisi s ethod, Ne a k s dou le i teg atio ethod, Ja se s ethod, “ aisgood s
ethod a d Bu eau s ethod ha e ee utilized to study the probable dynamic behavior of the
dam and their results are compared to get a range of values within which, the permanent
displacement of the dam, is estimated to lie.

The present study shows that the predicted displacements due to an earthquake of magnitude
Mw = 7·0 are significant but not enough to compromise the safety of the dam. However, the
displacements predicted for an earthquake of magnitude Mw = 8·5 are quite high and might
cause rupture of filter zones. The maximum deformations (755 cm for Mw = 8·5 and 43 cm for
Mw = 7·0) are predicted by
“eed a d Makdisi s ethod hile the i i u defo atio s fo Mw = 8·5 and 2·5 cm
for Mw = 7· a e o puted y Ja se s ethod.

Seismicity at Tehri dam

A number of large magnitude (Mw > 7) earthquakes have occurred along the Himalayan
mountain belt, four of which (1897 Assam earthquake (MS > 8·7), 1905 Kangra earthquake
(MS > 8·6), 1934 Bihar earthquake (MS = 8·4) and 1950 Assam earthquake (MS = 8·7))
had magnitude greater than 8 (Richter 1958).
The four great earthquakes in the past have ruptured only 200 to 450 km of the plate boundary,
leaving
unruptured sections in between called seismic gaps. The unruptured section of Himalaya

31
between the rupture zones of Kangra &Bihar earthquakes is called central Himalayan seismic
gap. TheTehri dam is located within this seismic gap.

There has been considerable controversy concerning the seismic intensity to which the Tehri
dam may be subjected to as no great earthquake have occurred in this gap region within the
past 200 years .
The above researchers believe that the earthquakes in the past two centuries have not been
representative of infrequent great (Mw > 8) plate boundary event that could occur. It is
reasoned that recent earthquakes may have responded to different elastic driving forces from
those that drove the mega quakes of medieval times.

It is suspected that an alternate source of energy to cause a great earthquake exists in the form
of elastic and gravitational energy and is stored in flexure of the Indian plate, and is now
sufficiently mature to sustain a mega quake of Mw > 8 (Ambraseys & Jackson 2003; Ambraseys
& Bilham 2000).

Here, the seismic behaviour of the Tehri dam has been studied for two earthquake motions.
The first one is an Mw = 7, PGA = 0·23 g earthquake for which the dam has been designed
(Thatte 1992). The second motion is for an Mw = 8·5, PGA = 0·45 g hypothetical earthquake.

This second motion represents MCE of the region according to some experts and initially
recommended by THDC (1990) and High Level Committee of Experts (1990). There are
considerable controversies between the experts regarding the validity of these motions. The
proper way of coming up with a motion is to establish seismic sources within 500 km and their
maximum potential, and perform probabilistic seismic hazard analysis.

Results-
• The present study indicates that the displacements due to an earthquake of magnitude (Mw)
7·0 are significant but not enough to compromise the safety of Tehri dam.
• The displacements due to a hypothetical earthquake of magnitudeMw = 8·5 are quite large.
They might lead to a rupture in the existing 1m thick filter zones, resulting in uncontrollable
seepage.
• The 2-D finite element analyses show that the maximum deformations occur along the
upper reaches of the upstream face of the dam while the surface at the foundation level has
almost negligible deformations.
• For the Mw = 7 earthquake, the maximum displacement is predicted by the finite element
method, while for the Mw = 8· ea th uake, “eed a d Makdisi s ethod p edi ts the
maximum displacements.

32
• All the simplified methods predict larger displacements on the downstream face of the dam,
but finite element method predicts almost two times larger displacements for the upstream
face of the dam.
• Among the simplified methods, the maximum displacements are computed by Seed and
Makdisi s ethod, hile the i i u displa e e ts a e o tai ed y Ja se s ethod.
• The large variation of the seismic displacements predicted by different methods indicates
scope for further research in this area and stresses on the need for the instrumentation of the
dams and verification of different methods in predicting seismic displacements of dams.
The different dams coming up in the Himalayan region should be properly instrumented
to record ground motions, amplification of motions through the dam and displacements of
the dam, so that better understanding of the seismic behaviours of large earth and rockfill
dams can be achieved and proper mitigation measures can be put in place before hand in case
a disaster strikes.

33
 CONCLUSION

Tehri Dam is the biggest dam in Asia. It is situated on Bhagirathi River in Uttarakhand,
India. It is rock and earth filled massive water barrier. Tehri Hydro Development
Corporation (THDC) was formed in 1988 to manage the dam. The dam started working in
2006. Tehri dam generates 1000 MW of hydroelectricity along with an additional 1000
MW of pumped storage hydroelectricity (to be completed in 2013).

The relocation of more than 100,000 people from the area has led to protracted legal
battles over resettlement rights, and ultimately resulted in the project's delayed
completion.
The Tehri Dam has been the object of active protestation by environmental
organizations and local people of the region. In addition to the human rights concerns,
the project has spurred concerns about the environmental consequences of locating a
large dam in the fragile ecosystem of the Himalayan foothills.

There are further concerns regarding the dam's geological stability. The Tehri dam is
located in the Central Himalayan Seismic Gap, a major geolo gic fault zone.

This region was the site of a 6.8 magnitude

earthquake in October 1991, with an epicenter
500 km from the location of the dam.

Since Tehri dam is Rock and Earth filled dam, it is

strong enough to withstand an earthquake of 8.4 magnitude. Also like other dams, in
case of breakage, the Tehri dam will not collapse suddenly.

34
 REFERENCES

JOURNALS
1) Effects of Tehri Dam , S.C.Sharma, Former General Manager THDC Ltd
2) Tehri Dam fact sheet , I‘N FACT “HEET, O to e
3) Cost and time over run in the construction of Tehri Dam project , D . A.K.Du e, THDC
4) GIS and remote sensing-based study of the reservoir induced, land use in the catchment
of Tehri Dam in Garhwal, Himalaya , Piyoosh ‘autela, ‘ahul ‘akshit, V.K.Jha, I dia
Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS)
5) Displace e t a d Develop e t: the paradoxes of I dia’s Tehri da , Jaso Ne to ,
University of Louisville.
6) Impact of development activities on biodiversity – A case study of Tehri Dam , THDC
7) Estimation of permanent displacements of the Tehri dam in the Himalayas due to future
strong earthquakes , A i uddha “e gupta, IIT-Kharagpur.

WEBSITES
1) www.caprarius-aquacom.blogspot.in
2) www.slideshare.net
3) www.euttaranchal.com
4) www.wikipedia.com
5) www.thdc.gov.in

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