Hydropower projects fuelling disasters in Himalayas: Experts
New Delhi, Oct 13 (PTI) Violations of norms during the construction of hydropower projects in the fragile Himalayan region are fuelling disasters in the hilly states, environment experts and activists have warned.
A glacial lake outburst flood in Lhonak Lake in Sikkim last week resulted in severe damage in Mangan, Gangtok, Pakyong, and Namchi districts. The incident also resulted in the breach of the Chungthang dam, also known as Teesta III dam, a crucial component of a mega hydropower project in the state.
These experts and activists emphasised that the series of dams built on the Teesta river fuelled the disaster and demanded the cancellation of the proposed Teesta IV dam.
Several occasions in the last two decades have seen government agencies and research studies warning about potential glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) in Sikkim, which can cause massive damage to life and property.
A study conducted by the Central Water Commission in 2015 clearly informed the state government that most of the hydropower projects on the Teesta are highly vulnerable to such events.
Gyatso Lepcha from Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT), a local advocacy group, said, “The 1,200 MW Teesta III was completely washed away. This dam was built only 30 km away from Lhonak Lake. The state government is blaming the previous government for substandard construction. The previous government is blaming GLOF, but nobody is questioning the construction of the dam in such a fragile area.”
“This is not a natural disaster, and we are now demanding accountability plus the cancellation of the proposed Teesta IV dam,” he said.
The Himalayas’ glacial melt has accelerated due to rising global temperatures. Also, the outburst may have been nudged by a cloudburst and earthquake that struck a day earlier in neighbouring Nepal. The flood’s impact and intensity were exacerbated severely by the dams on the Teesta River, triggering a cascading effect downstream.
