Background
A JOURNEY OF KISHAU MULTIPURPOSE PROJECT
- Kishau Dam Project was conceived in the year 1940. The then Punjab Government conducted a survey of the project site in the year 1944-45. In the year 1946, the survey and Investigation work was suspended due to various unknown reasons. Survey and Investigation were resumed by the Uttar Pradesh government in the year 1962 and a preliminary project report was prepared in the year 1964, proposing gravity arch dam of 235 meters height, which was submitted to the Government of India in the year 1965 for inclusion in the Fourth Five Year Plan.
- After examining the DPR of 1965, Central Water Commission observed that the proposed site of Kishau Dam near Kishau Village passes through a major fault, due to which CWC suggested a Rockfill Dam instead of Gravity Arch Dam for consideration.
- Further survey and Investigation work was resumed in the year 1970 by the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department. In the year 1978, a DPR was prepared with the proposal of rockfill dam and submitted to the Central Water Commission for consideration.
- After examining the DPR of 1978, the Central Water Commission found that Kishau site was not suitable for constructing a rockfill dam in view of geological complexities and major faults.
- Due to geographical complexities, the Central Water Commission cancelled the proposed Kishau Dam site near Kishau Village and directed that a detailed geological study be conducted at other alternative sites - Atal, Sambarkheda and Morar sites.
- Thereafter, a detailed geological study of the alternative sites- Atal, Sambarkheda and Morar sites were conducted. On the basis of which, the Sambarkheda site was found suitable for constructing a concrete gravity dam of 236 meters height. Other alternative sites – Atal and Morar were found unsuitable for constructing a dam of 236 m height.
- On this basis Geological study of Samberkhera site, the DPR of the year 1988 was prepared, which was further revised in the year 1998 by Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department and submitted to the Central Water Commission for consideration.
- Now, for the construction of this project, a joint venture of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh Government, Kishau Corporation Limited has been formed in the year 2017. At present, the work of updating the detailed project report is in progress in which detailed study of various alternative sites of the dam – Atal, Sambarkheda and Morar is being carried to compare most suitable site.