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MAHESHWAR DAM

MAHESHWAR DAM

Why in News?

The Madhya Pradesh government has canceled all contracts with Maheshwar Hydroelectric Project almost three decades after it agreed to purchase power from it.

• Narmada is the largest west flowing river of the peninsular region flowing through a rift valley between the Vindhya Range on the north and the Satpura Range on the south.
• Narmada is flowing through the area where the land is not sloping towards the west from central India, but it is flowing west because of the rift valleys only.
• It rises from Maikala range near Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh.
• It drains a large area in Madhya Pradesh besides some areas in the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat.
• The river near Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) forms the DhuanDhar Falls.
• There are several islands in the estuary of Narmada of which Aliabet is the largest.
• Major Tributaries: Hiran, Orsang, the Barna and the Kolar.
• Hydro Power Projects: Indira Sagar, Sardar Sarova, Maheshwar etc.

Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA):

• • It is an Indian social movement spearheaded by native tribes (adivasis), farmers, environmentalists and human rights activists against a number of large dam projects across the Narmada River.
  • Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat is one of the biggest dams on the river and was one of the first focal points of the movement.