-Tehri Dam is one of the highest dams in India and the highest high altitude dam in the world. It is a multipurpose rock and earth-fill embankment dam on the confluence of river Bhagirathi and Bhilangna in Tehri district of Garhwal Himalayas. Tehri Dam a reservoir spread in 42sqs kms with multipurpose use like for irrigation, municipal water supply and after all power generation of 2,000 MW of hydroelectricity with remain of its 400 MW through pumped-storage scheme is under construction from Koteshwar Dam towards Rishikesh which is 20km far from Tehri Dam. Tehri Dam project once a national issue and matter of concerned for the protests by environmental activism and local people of the region. In addition to the human rights, displacement & rehabilitation concerns, the project have spurred concerns about the environmental consequences of construction of a large dam in the fragile ecosystem of the Himalayan as well as the lower residence of the country. There are further concerns regarding the dam's geological stability. The Tehri Dam is located in the Central Himalayan Seismic Gap, a major geologic fault zone. This region was the site of a 6.8 magnitude earthquake in October 1991, with an epicenter 53 kilometers (33 mi) from the location of the dam. The central part of the Himalayan region is being considered for many development activities, be it river valley project or social infrastructural development. During the eighties 2 major power-cum irrigation projects were taken up with financial support from the World Bank and these two projects are the Narmada irrigation project and Tehri Projects.
There are 821 villages in the 42 sq Kms. periphery of Tehri Dam where one side is headquarter of Tehri district and another side is Pratapnagar Tehsil of Tehri district. It is observed that as much as 27 villages are in risk zone of land slide due to water storage at the bottom/base of the villages. Many villages lost their livelihood because of the dam in term of agriculture, daily wage labor, business and after their entire socio-cultural boundary. Many are compelled to change their occupation and in a transitional phase of economic because of the dam. Many were prosperous and now most of the people are facing hurdles for survival in the new economy. To overcome the livelihood security of the people the Govt. of Uttarakhand is boosting tourism programs based on the dam like boating, water game, house boat etc, by which the locals can get benefit out of these activities. But the livelihood based on adventure tourism based program on Tehri Dam is in a distress by the local as they were not trained for these activities. Since the people were solely agrarian by nature with minor scale petty business in addition, the introduced adventure tourism activities are it seems too difficult to cope for locals in this initial stage for livelihood. The present study in the surrounding villages of Tehri Dam, carried out to link eco-tourism to the introduced adventure tourism by which it can benefit the locals. The survey was conducted in 10 villages in the periphery of Tehri Dam with focused in their socio-economic and cultural impact through Tehri Dam and also find out the possibilities of ecotourism and home stay at the village level and fully participation of local villagers for the same. 40-50 total villages of periphery of Tehri Dam out of these we have selected Tiwad Gaon, Maroda, Saur Uppu and Jakh Chaura which is situated around Tehri headquarter side and remaining villages Raulakot, Nautad Gaon, Gadoli, Kangsaali, Sema-Gandeli and Koldar are situated in another side of Tehri headquarter (Tehsil Pratapnagar). The most affected villages are coming Tehsil Pratapnagar around Tehri Dam, which is situated in front of Tehri Headquarter.
After 8 years since the completion of Tehri Dam there is no roads connectivity to the headquarters with other location in search of better livelihood option for surviving for a better life. Since their land resources fully or partially has been submerged in the dam and remaining land is also identified as threat zone for landslides as water is surround and make the agriculture land as like so they abandoned agricultural and vegetable activities which was used to be very fertile previously. At present the motorboat is the only option for them to travel from one side to another, which is much time consume. Though motorboat run for four rounds every day with fix timing like 7:00 AM early in the morning, 10:00 AM, 01:00 PM in the afternoon and 5:00 PM in the evening time in two different locations one is Raulakot-Dobra and other is Gadoli-Nautad but for it one has to finished or stop his/her work to adjust the timing.
Capacity building/skill development program was recently conducted at a village at the bank of Tehri Dam named Tiwadgaon where 13 youths are now engaged in the ongoing adventure sports activities at the Dam at different capacity and getting income.