The National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) has dispelled concerns over the safety of proposed dams in Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that these projects pose minimal risk due to differing glacial lake locations compared to the Teesta Valley in Sikkim.
In a statement issued on Monday, NHPC assured the public that glacial lakes in Arunachal Pradesh’s Subansiri, Siang, and Dibang river catchments are situated in the Chinese portion of these basins. “And the NHPC projects face an insignificant threat of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs),” it read.
Citing existing studies, NHPC highlighted that the peaks of GLOFs at dam sites are significantly lower than the average monsoon flood levels for the Subansiri, Siang, and Dibang basin projects.
Additionally, the corporation emphasised the robust design of its dams in Arunachal Pradesh, constructed using concrete known for its superior resistance to failure compared to other materials.
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The Corporation’s assurance follows public concerns about the safety of mega dam construction in Arunachal Pradesh after the tragic GLOF incident in Sikkim’s Teesta Valley in October 2023.
Notably, NHPC had previously provided similar assurances in 2014, nine years before the Teesta tragedy.
In an affidavit to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the NHPC defended the project’s safety against issues flagged by the local Lepcha community concerning the project’s environmental clearance.
“As regards GLOFs, they are expected in the Northern part of Sikkim where glacial lakes are prevalent. The phenomenon of GLOFs is relevant to the projects located above Chungthang. Teesta IV is located far below Chungthang,” the affidavit had stated.
The NGT, in 2017, accepted NHPC’s explanation, noting that “respondents’ affidavits reveal that the project proponent has addressed all the issues raised by the appellants.”
