Massive landslide once again hits Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: Before the onset of the rainy season of the year, natural calamity like heavy downpour and massive landslide has once again hit the contentious Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (SLHP) with 2000 MW installation capacity, being constructed by the NHPC Limited at Gerukamukh of Dhemaji district. Of late, landslide in enormous proportion has created havoc in the catchment area of the mega river dam project affecting its construction works.

On Monday, around 9.57 am, a large part of the hill, made of soft, sedimentary rocks, located at 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 proportion of the landslide was very heavy and it produced big waves in the river basin by raising the water up to several metres height. The natural calamity has once again put the NHPC Limited to a troubled situation and people living in the downstream of the river have become apprehensive about the feasibility of the mega river dam project.

Last year, landslide triggered by incessant rains, other disastrous phenomenon like flood have hit the project since the mid days of the month of September which resulted in the collapse of Diversion Tunnel-2, collapse of the Power House guard wall, 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 in one another.

At present, NHPC authority has not allowed the media persons or any other person to witness the landslide-hit area. As per report found from a reliable source, four Diversion Tunnels of the project, out of 5, have been in defunct condition. Only Diversion Tunnel No. 1 is functional at present. SLHP authority has not disclosed anything about the occurrence of the landslide till the filing of this report.

The report about the landslide that has taken place in the project on Monday, has once again created havoc among the people living in the downstream of river Subansiri under Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Majuli and Biswanath districts of North Assam. Nature’s fury hitting the SLHP has made them apprehensive once again regarding the safety, feasibility of the project which is being constructed in a zone that is highly prone to seismic activity. It is also apprehended that the water being reserved in the catchment area of the project too will play the role of catalyst to cause massive landslide in the hills made of sedimentary rock, centering round of which the project dam has been constructed. It will pose threat to the existence of the hills made of soft sedimentary rocks. Being apprehensive over the safety of the dam in connection with the present issue of landslide, the local body of All Assam Students’ Union, as an anti-big dam activist organization, has once again expressed strong reaction against the SLHP.