LAKHIMPUR: Proving all apprehensions true, there was a sudden drop in the water level of River Subansiri in the downstream at around 10 am on Friday. The Subansiri is the largest tributary of the Brahmaputra and it is also regarded as the ‘Lifeline of Lakhimpur’.
The drop in the water level occurred following the blockage of the diversion tunnels of the Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (SLHP) with 2000-MegaWatt (MW) installation capacity being constructed by NHPC Limited at Gerukamukh in the Assam-Arunachal border area belonging to the Dhemaji district.
Sources said that the major landslide on the hill of Gerukamukh projecting towards Assam took place on Friday morning resulting in another calamity for the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Limited’s SLHP. According to reports, all eight diversion tunnels of the mega river dam project are blocked at present. On the other hand, consecutive landslides have already levelled the peak of the hill which is one of the major bases of the catchment area of the mega river dam project. Local people informed that a large number of fish died due to the sudden drop in the water level downstream of the River Subansiri. A section of people was seen picking up the dead fish floating on the little water in the basin of the river downstream.
Notably, nature’s fury has consecutively hit the much controversial SLHP, resulting in strong apprehension regarding the durability and existence of the mega river dam project. On September 26, after the collapse of the Diversion Tunnel- 2 of the mega river dam project due to landslide, the tremendous pressure of the overflowing water of the catchment area collapsed a part of the guard wall of the Power House. Then the Power House was inundated with water affecting the tools and machines of the project set up in it. The collapse of the guard wall caused a tremendous threat to the two turbines in the Power House too. NHPC authority had to shift almost 6,000 workers to safer places because of the imminent danger.
The adverse natural situation has disrupted the ongoing construction works of the mega river dam project. Similarly, a road leading to the Power House and the Diversion Tunnel- 2 collapsed at night on September 15. Then overflowing water from the catchment area washed away this collapsed Diversion Tunnel. Diversion Tunnel-5 of the project had been lying non-functional for a long period due to a landslide. On April 3, a large part of the same hill, made of soft, sedimentary rock, located on the left bank of the River Subansiri, slided down heavily and violently in the river basin by producing a robust sound and affecting the Diversion Tunnels of the project adversely.
The natural calamity once again put the NHPC Limited in a troubled situation and people living in the downstream of the river have become apprehensive about the feasibility of the mega river dam project. Similarly, last year landslide triggered by incessant rain and flood hit the project since September which resulted in the collapse of Diversion Tunnel-2, collapse of the Power House guard wall, and halt of the construction work in the main dam. Due to landslide and massive force of the overflowing water in the catchment area of the project, the Diversion Tunnel- 1 and the Diversion Tunnel- 2 had already merged with one another.
Friday’s phenomenon has wreaked massive havoc in the downstream of River Subansiri. People have apprehended that the water in the catchment area of the mega river dam project, if it finds no way to flow down, might cause a catastrophe downstream.
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