Northeast Desk, 15th October: In response to the recent catastrophic flash floods in Sikkim following the breach of the Chungthang dam, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has initiated a suo-moto case. The NGT has issued notices to three key stakeholders: the Sikkim Government, Sikkim Urja Limited, and the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).
The tragic flash floods claimed the lives of seven people and caused extensive damage, particularly to the 1200 Mega Watt Sikkim Urja Teesta-III at Chungthang. The incident transpired due to a glacial lake outburst flood from South Lhonak Lake on the intervening night of October 3 and 4.
In response to these calamitous events, the NGT has called upon the Sikkim Government, Sikkim Urja Limited, and the NHPC to appear before the court on October 20. This hearing is significant as it aims to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the dam breach and its consequences.
Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang has already made statements assigning blame for the dam’s failure to sub-standard work during the construction phase. In his remarks, he emphasized that the dam’s collapse added to the destruction caused by the glacial lake outburst flood. The Teesta-III dam was commissioned in 2017 when the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) government, led by former Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, was in power.
In response to these allegations, the SDF party, under the leadership of P.D. Rai, the senior vice-president, has called for a thorough forensic investigation into the Teesta-III dam collapse. Rai expressed the need to investigate whether adequate measures were taken to prevent the glacier lake outburst flood, even suggesting the possibility of lowering the water level at the lake during their tenure.
The NGT’s intervention in the matter coincides with the Sikkim government’s plans to establish a 520 Mega Watt Teesta stage IV hydel project. Environmentalists have long opposed the proliferation of dams in Sikkim, and this incident has reignited the debate surrounding the environmental impact and safety of such projects in the region. The role of the NGT in addressing this critical issue is expected to be instrumental in the ongoing discussions on hydel projects in Sikkim.