Why In News?

=> 7 labourers have been stranded on an island near Maneri Dam due to the alternate route being washed away due to rising water level of Bhagirathi river, who are being rescued to evacuate them.

Key Point:

=> Maneri Dam is a concrete gravity dam located on the Bhagirathi river in Uttarkashi district.

=> The primary objective of the dam is to divert water and provide water to the 90 MW run-of-the-river Tilloth Power Plant.

=> Significantly, the Bhagirathi river is one of the two top streams of the Ganga, which originates from the Gomukh of the Gangotri Glacier.

=> This river flows in the form of Ganga, joining Alaknanda in Devprayag.

=> As per the state government data, 16 hydro power projects with a capacity of 1,743 MW on the Bhagirathi river are at various stages of development. is an important hydroelectric project (HEP) located on it.

Background:

• The power station is stage one of the Maneri Bhali Hydroelectric Project which was planned in the 1960s.
• It was completed and commissioned in 1984.
• Dharasu Power Station, the second stage, was halted in 1990 due to funding issues and was not restarted until 2002.
• It was eventually completed and commissioned by 2008.