Recently Union government has given approval to a modified detailed project report (DPR) of the Ujh Multipurpose Project (MPP) in Jammu and Kashmir
The Central Advisory Committee for consideration of techno-economic viability of major and medium irrigation, flood control and multipurpose project proposals accepted the project proposal subject to certain conditions, keeping in view its strategic importance from Indus Waters Treaty angle for utilization and regulation of waters flowing across the border
Key highlights about the project
- The modified Ujh MPP is located on river Ujh, one of the main tributaries of river Ravi, in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir.
- A 116.00 metre high dam is proposed at the river with full reservoir level (FRL) at 608 metre.
- The proposed dam site is Barbari village about 1.6 km downstream of Panchtirthi. The powerhouse site is approximately 9.5 km downstream of the dam site near Deoli village.
- The advisory committee of Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD&GR) accorded approval to the modified DPR of the project at a meeting chaired by Union Secretary
- This project is expected to create a storage of about 781 million cu m of water on river Ujh , a tributary of Ravi for irrigation and power generation in India itself and provide a total irrigation benefits of 31,380 ha in Kathua, Hiranagar and Samba district of J&K apart from providing water for the district Kathua of J&K.
- The DPR of Ujh project, which was declared as a national project in 2008, was initially prepared by Indus Basin Organisation of the Central Water Commission in 2013.
Indus water treaty
Indus Waters Treaty was signed on September 19, 1960, between India and Pakistan and brokered by the World Bank. The treaty fixed and delimited the rights and obligations of both countries concerning the use of the waters of the Indus River system.
