The Highest Dam of India

Bhakra Dam:The Highest Dam of India

BHAKRA DAM: Situated at Bhakra village of Bilaspur, about 13 km upstream from Nangal township, it is one of the highest straight gravity dams in the world. The lake is about 90 km long covering an area of about 168 sq km of which 90 percent is in Bilaspur and 10 percent in Una district. The dam was dedicated to nation by late Pt. JwaharLal Nehru on November 20th, 1963. The view of vast dam and green jungles around is fascinating indeed.

A SYMBOL OF DEVELOPMENT: - Soon after India's independence from British colonial rule 50 years ago, its first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, described the country's many ambitious industrial projects as the ''temples of modern India''.

Among the 'temples' bequeathed to the nation by Nehru was the Giant Bhakra Nangal Dam in northern India. One of the largest in the world, it became a symbol of the aspirations of developing countries worldwide.

Now these giant Indian dam projects are a symbol of a focal points of one of the developing world's largest and best organized campaigns in defense of the millions of ordinary people who have been -- and are being -- displaced by these schemes.

Currently, there are some 23 large dams in India -- either completed or being built. Work on three of these have been stopped and in eight others where work is under progress.