India is one of the world’s biggest dam building nations. It is estimated that, since 1947, over 4,000 reservoirs have submerged a land area of 40,000 square kilometres, displacing at least 42 million people. Dam construction, a major source of controversy for many decades, has always been greeted with considerable local opposition.
The Tehri Dam, which took over 25 years to construct, is managed by the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation. It is located on the Bhagirathi River, Uttarakhand, the main tributary of the River Ganges. At a height of 260 metres, the dam is the fifth largest in the world. The reservoir, 45 kilometres in length, began to fill with water in 2005, submerging numerous houses and villages, including the town of Old Tehri. The hydroelectric project generated its first electricity in June 2006.
the new reservoir
on top of the dam
facing the dam
The building of the dam has been controversial, not least because it is situated in the middle of a Himalayan seismic fault zone. Over the years there have been numerous campaigns and protests against its construction, with over 100,000 people now having been relocated throughout the region.
before the reservoir filled the valley
after the reservoir filled the valley
In November 2008, Mark Helyar returned to the area to interview local villagers about the impact that the building of the dam has had on their lives. He is currently writing a feature that focuses on their stories.
bhola and his family who
have been relocated
have been relocated
further along the reservoir
return to the tehri dam
© 2009 empty canvas