The long-pending Renuka multi-purpose dam project in Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district has received final forest clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, clearing a major hurdle for the Rs 6,947-crore initiative. The dam, aimed at addressing the National Capital Region’s water needs, will be built on the Giri river, a tributary of the Yamuna, at Dadahu. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone in December 2021.

According to Vasanth Kiran Babu, Conservator of Forests, Nahan, "The clearance will facilitate the diversion of 909 hectares of forest land for the construction of the dam." With land acquisition complete, the focus now shifts to finalizing technical aspects. The project begins with the construction of three 1.5-km diversion tunnels to redirect the river temporarily, paving the way for the 148-mtrs.-high rock-fill dam.

Designed to supply 23 cumecs of water to Delhi and aid in flood control during monsoon, the project was originally scheduled for completion by 2014 but faced delays due to environmental objections and litigation. Initially estimated at Rs 3,572.19 crore, the cost escalated due to delays. Declared a national project in 2009, it is eligible for 90 percent Central funding for the water component.