New Delhi, June 12 (IANS): Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti said Thursday the nod to raise the height of the Narmada dam was given after consulting the social welfare ministry and the displacement caused will be taken care of.
The height of the Sardar Sarovar Dam on river Narmada in Gujarat will be raised by 17 metres after the green signal at a meeting of the Narmada Control Authority (NCA) Thursday.
Activists have said raising the dam's height will displace an additional 2.5 lakh people.
"The social justice ministry has said they are totally satisfied with the rehabilitation measure being adopted," Bharti said when asked about the decision.
The NCA is headed by the secretary of water resources ministry.
The dam's height will rise from 121.92 metres to 138.68 metres.
A senior government official said the full reservoir level of 138.68 metres will assure water for irrigation to an additional 6.8 lakh hectares and additional 40 percent power generation, besides enhanced water supply.