NHPC allays fears on landslides at dam site

Speaking exclusively to this correspondent, the Executive Director of NHPC�s LSHEP Arvind Bhatt denied reports of any kind of damage and threat to the under-construction dam at Gerukamukh from any natural disaster like the landslide of recent days.

On being asked on the fragility of geological formation of the project site, Bhatt referred to the reports by the experts on the rock quality of this region. He said that the experts had confirmed the quality of rocks to be very good but they could become fragile only after being contaminated by water.

To save the rocks and the mega structure over the Subansiri River, the NHPC constructed extended spillway blocks incorporated as per the recommendations of various external experts groups and committees along with upstream and downstream �cutoff walls� 50 feet under the foundation of the mega dam, especially designed with the state-of-the art global technology at the extra cost of Rs 200 crore in three years� time, said Bhatt.

The �cutoff wall� had ensured the safety of the LSHEP dam, reiterated Bhatt. �Any apprehension on this account is totally misplaced,� repeated Bhatt.

On the occurrence of landslides close to the dam site at Gerukamukh, he said that it was a regular natural phenomenon common to this region and technically would have no impact on the mega structure.

The May 26 landslide damaged the cladding of the diversion tunnels of the river which would be of no use in future as soon as the dam would be functional, said Bhatt. He said that the cladding for diversion tunnels of the Subansiri � located 300 metres from the dam � were constructed for only five years, but the delay in the project extended these infrastructures for 10 years involving extra costs for maintenance and repair.

The temporary structures continue to get damaged and are repaired from time to time, said Bhatt informing that the damages on the cladding of the diversion tunnels could be repaired only after the Monsoon season.

Earlier landslides that occurred around 300 metres away on the right side from the under-construction mega structure of the 2000-MW LSHEP dam at Gerukamukh alarmed the local people as heavy rains lashed the area for almost a week. The outcry and panic in the downstream areas brought AASU general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi to visit the LSHEP site on May 28 who demanded immediate halt to the construction work of the dam.

It may be recalled that works resumed from October, 2019 on LSHEP project after a gap of 8 years when the Government of Assam signed a memorandum of agreement with NHPC concerning the resumption of works for LSHEP on 23 August, 2019. Widespread agitation by KMSS, AASU, AJYCP and others forced the suspension of construction in 16 December, 2011.