Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has written to Union Water Resources Minister P. K. Bansal to fast track the Renuka Dam project. The Chief Minister has expressed concern that further stalling of the project will jeopardise the city's water security. The dam has been proposed on the Giri River in Himachal Pradesh and is expected to provide Delhi 275 million gallons of water a day. Delhi has been pressing the Centre for its intervention to secure clearances for the Renuka Dam project, claiming it is the only source of water for the city's future use. “There are limited sources of water for the city; and Renuka Dam is the primary source that assures water for the future needs. The project is important for securing the drinking water needs of the people and to take forward the plans for the development of the city. However, for the past few years now it has been hanging fire,” said a senior Delhi Government official. After former Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh put a stop to the Renuka Dam project, in 2010 because of the large number of trees (about 1.77 lakh) that would have to be sacrificed, Delhi administration has been pushing for a reversal of the order. There was a hope for Delhi when Mr. Ramesh in 2011 had agreed to undertake an inspection of the Nahan Valley, where the dam will be constructed. “Delhi has taken up the issue with the Planning Commission and subsequently with the Centre. We are again brining it to the notice of the concerned people, because a lot depends on whether Delhi will get the water from Renuka or not,” the official said. The Chief Minister has now written to Mr. Bansal, urging him to call for a meeting of the State chief secretaries and pave way for ironing out the problems that have marred the Rs.3,600 crore project, the official said. “As on date we have to offer piped supply to about 500 of the total 1,200 unauthorised colonies apart from the regular consumers who are already within the billing net. We have about 820 MGD at our disposal and to meet the demand for future we are banking on Renuka Dam. Then there are Delhi Development Authority's plans to build more housing projects for the city in collaboration with private builders that will also not be cleared in the absence of an assured water supply. There is a lot riding on the Renuka Dam project and that has been the mainstay of Delhi's arguments for a go-ahead to the construction,” the official said. The Delhi Government has already given Rs.215 crore to the Himachal Pradesh Government for procuring land for the national project that is expected to take at least five to six years to complete.