Uttarakhand

• 27 Oct 2022

Two Coffer Dams to Come up Before Jamrani Dam

Why in News?

• According to media information received on October 24, 2022, two coffer dams and two tunnels will be built before the construction of the multi-purpose Jamrani dam. Through two tunnels of 600 meters, the water of the Gaula river will be transported from one end to the other.

Key Points

• Approval from the Finance Ministry for Jamrani Dam is awaited. The irrigation department has invited advance tenders for the construction of the dam. Works like coffer dam, tunnel, approach road etc. will be done at a cost of Rs 1828 crore.
• It is known that the construction of multi-purpose Jamrani dam project on Gola river in Nainital district of Uttarakhand is proposed. Construction of Gola Barrage in the first phase of the project, 244 km. Reconstruction of the canal and construction of Damuwa and Amritpuri colony have been completed. In the second phase, the construction of the main dam is being considered.
• Concretisation work is to be done within a radius of 20 lakh cubic meters in jamrani dam area. For this, two diversion tunnels and two coffer dams are to be built. The water of the river will be transported from one end to the other through two tunnels of 600 meters. The irrigation department has prepared this complete blueprint. This tunnel will pass through the middle of the hill.
• It is worth mentioning that coffer dam is such a permanent structure, which is built to make a large aquatic area waterless, so that construction work can be done there. Through this, the flow of the river is diverted alternately through the tunnel. Usually two coffer dams are built- upstream and downstream coffer dams. These dams are built when the structure is to be constructed in the river bed. After completion of the construction of the dam and related structures the downstream coffer is removed and the upstream coffer dam is filled with water.

Proposal to Rename Lansdowne as 'Kalo ka danda'

Why in News?

• Recently, the 132-year-old Lansdowne Cantonment in Uttarakhand's Pauri district has sent a proposal to the Ministry of Defense to name Lansdowne as ' Kalo ka danda /Kalaun Ka Danda (mountain surrounded by dark clouds)'.

Key Points

• The Army Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence has sought proposals from sub-area Uttarakhand to change the names of roads, schools, institutions, cities and suburbs of cantonment areas during the British era.
• The Defence Ministry has also asked them to suggest what names can be placed in place of british-era names. Under this, Lansdowne Cantonment has sent a proposal to name it 'Kalo Ka Danda'. Earlier it was called 'Kalaun Ka Danda'. The locals have been demanding its name for years. Several letters have also been sent to the Defence Ministry in this regard.
• The Garhwal Regiment was established in 1886. On May 5, 1887, the platoon of the first Garhwal Regiment formed in Almora under the leadership of author Colonel Merwing reached Lansdowne on November 4, 1887. At that time Lansdowne was called 'Kalo Ka Danda'. On September 21, 1890, it was named Lansdowne after the then Viceroy Lord Lansdowne.