<p>The clearance for a proposal to construct a 118-metre-high dam on the Teesta River in Sikkim has raised concerns among environmentalists and local residents. The proposed dam has been conceived in place of the 60-metre-high dam under the Teesta III hydel power project, which was washed away in 2023. A Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) devastated the dam in October 2023, and killed nearly 100 people, leading to a suspension of the project. An Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the environment ministry has now proposed a revival of the project with some changes in design. The new design is for a concrete gravity dam with an increase in spillway capacity, and it is claimed that the dam will be able to withstand the worst kind of floods. But the decision has caused concern because questions raised about building a high dam in an environmentally sensitive region have not been answered.</p>.<p>The EAC had itself raised concerns about the dam’s safety and stability. The project’s operator, Sikkim Urja Ltd, has said that the design factored in worst-case scenarios and claimed that hazards of the glacial lakes upstream had been studied but it is not known who conducted the studies. Even as the EAC approved the proposal, it has suggested fresh studies about the maximum flood scenarios and an approval in this connection by the Central Water Commission (CWC). It has noted that the new design is yet to be approved by the CWC, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and the Central Soil and Materials Research Station. It has also stipulated conditions including the setting up of early warning systems and the mapping of glacial lakes and landslide spots.</p>.<p class="bodytext">There is increasing apprehension, supported by scientific observations, about building mega hydro-projects in the Himalayan region. These concerns also cloud over China’s plan to build a dam in Tibet. Glaciers are receding, and it is difficult to predict, prevent or deal with GLOFs. All predictions related to them have gone wrong. Over 10 years ago, the National Hydropower Corporation (NPC) had assured that there was no threat to the Teesta III project, but it has seen two major disasters. Local populations have opposed the project because of safety issues and the likely impact on the environment. No consultations have been held with them as is mandated in the case of such projects. The Himalayas are the world’s youngest mountains. They are still forming and are unstable, with climate change multiplying the risks. Any infrastructure project in the region needs the highest level of scrutiny. That does not seem to have gone into the Teesta project, in spite of warnings and disastrous past experiences.</p>
<p>The clearance for a proposal to construct a 118-metre-high dam on the Teesta River in Sikkim has raised concerns among environmentalists and local residents. The proposed dam has been conceived in place of the 60-metre-high dam under the Teesta III hydel power project, which was washed away in 2023. A Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) devastated the dam in October 2023, and killed nearly 100 people, leading to a suspension of the project. An Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the environment ministry has now proposed a revival of the project with some changes in design. The new design is for a concrete gravity dam with an increase in spillway capacity, and it is claimed that the dam will be able to withstand the worst kind of floods. But the decision has caused concern because questions raised about building a high dam in an environmentally sensitive region have not been answered.</p>.<p>The EAC had itself raised concerns about the dam’s safety and stability. The project’s operator, Sikkim Urja Ltd, has said that the design factored in worst-case scenarios and claimed that hazards of the glacial lakes upstream had been studied but it is not known who conducted the studies. Even as the EAC approved the proposal, it has suggested fresh studies about the maximum flood scenarios and an approval in this connection by the Central Water Commission (CWC). It has noted that the new design is yet to be approved by the CWC, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and the Central Soil and Materials Research Station. It has also stipulated conditions including the setting up of early warning systems and the mapping of glacial lakes and landslide spots.</p>.<p class="bodytext">There is increasing apprehension, supported by scientific observations, about building mega hydro-projects in the Himalayan region. These concerns also cloud over China’s plan to build a dam in Tibet. Glaciers are receding, and it is difficult to predict, prevent or deal with GLOFs. All predictions related to them have gone wrong. Over 10 years ago, the National Hydropower Corporation (NPC) had assured that there was no threat to the Teesta III project, but it has seen two major disasters. Local populations have opposed the project because of safety issues and the likely impact on the environment. No consultations have been held with them as is mandated in the case of such projects. The Himalayas are the world’s youngest mountains. They are still forming and are unstable, with climate change multiplying the risks. Any infrastructure project in the region needs the highest level of scrutiny. That does not seem to have gone into the Teesta project, in spite of warnings and disastrous past experiences.</p>
