Home / Environment / 140-Year-Old Dam Earns Global Heritage Status
140-Year-Old Dam Earns Global Heritage Status
19 Aug
Summary
- Parichha Dam in Jhansi has been recognized as a World Heritage Irrigation Structure.
- The dam, built in 1886, continues to serve agriculture and a thermal power project.
- It will receive the WHIS Award-2026 in Marseille, France, on October 14.
Parichha Dam, located in Jhansi, has been honored with the World Heritage Irrigation Structure (WHIS) designation by the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID). This recognition celebrates the dam's enduring legacy and ongoing utility.
Operational since 1886, the 19th-century dam has been instrumental in channeling the Betwa river's waters for agriculture across the Bundelkhand region. It continues to be vital for water storage and regulation in this water-stressed area. The dam's reservoir also supports the 920-MW Parichha Thermal Power Project.
Officials confirmed receiving the ICID's notification on August 13, inviting them to accept the WHIS Award-2026 in Marseille, France, on October 14. This award highlights the dam's remarkable feat of surviving for nearly 140 years while fulfilling 21st-century needs.
