In an unprecedented development[i], the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has sent a Rs 658-crore damage report to the Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari seeking from National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) compensation for the devastation caused at the 126-MW Larji hydel project allegedly due to the construction of a double-decker four-lane road.
Confirming the severe damage to the Larji Hydro Project, the Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable energy Shri R K Singh, in response to a starred question said in Lok Sabha[ii], “Larji HEP is likely to be fully operationalized by January, 2024.” The Ministry estimated daily loss of power generation at Larji project of approximately Rs 24000/- per day. That seems to be gross underestimate.
The Larji project on the Beas river at Thalot in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh had suffered extensive damage after silt entered inside the project following the torrential rain that lashed the state from July 9-11. The report says that the generation at the Larji project has stopped and is unlikely to restart till Dec 2023, the state has suffered huge losses.
The Beas flow rate exceeded 2 lakh cusecs (5663 cumecs) breaking the over 28 year record. In 1995, the flow had exceeded 161000 cusecs (4560 cumecs).
The damage was assessed by a team headed by former Chief Secretary Ram Subhag Singh, an adviser to the CM, along with the Mandi and Kullu Deputy Commissioners. The report contended that the NHAI entered four metres into the Beas to construct the double-decker road. Officials said as the Beas riverbed turned narrower at that point, the issue regarding the increased probability of flooding of Larji project due to the NHAI highway narrowing the Beas riverbed had been raised in 2019 with the NHAI, but it “didn’t pay heed”.
The officials also said the capacity of the river below the Larji dam stood at 8,500 cumecs, but the Beas level remained at a mere 5,600 cumecs even after the release of additional water from the project following the heavy rain. The official argued: “This only proves that the release of water from the dam in no way resulted in the rise of the Beas level”. The report clearly alleges that it was only due to the NHAI road that the Beas river floodwater entered and inundated the Larji powerhouse[iii].
After the downpour, the water level in the Beas rose four metres above the road. “The riverbed is at 894 metres and the maximum estimated water limit in the river is 904 metres. The double-decker road is located at a height of 910 metres. But after the flooding, the water level rose to 914 metres, resulting in silt entering the project,” the report said, damaging the project.
Some of the first reports of the damage to the Larji project due to the Beas river flood water entering the powerhouse of the project and submerging all four floors of the power house appeared on July 9, 2023[iv], the first day of massive flooding[v].
Some efforts were made since the morning of July 9, 2023 in view of the possibility of water entering the underground powerhouse by putting sandbags and drums at the entrance of the power house from where Beas flood water could enter. The power generation was stopped and gates were closed at 11 pm on the night of July 8, 2023 due to increasing silt in the Beas river water. The project executive engineer was also camping at the project. When water started entering the underground power house, attempt was also made to pump out the same, but that turned out to be futile against the raging Beas. The Larji project staff colony was vacated, considering the flood threat.
The Himbu Mail reported on July 16[vi] that the panicky staff of the HPSEBL that operates the Larji project ran out from the power project for safely. A video shared on twitter on July 16 2023 showed how water was entering the power house, including its machine hall and the commentary mentioned that the staff had to run away to safety. Another report by the same agency earlier on July 9 said that the Aut bridge has washed away and part of the steel structure of the broken bridge is stuck in the Larji dam. However it is not clear what are the implications of this and what was the fate of the steel structure piece.
Larji Project The Larji project was earlier in news when 24 Andhra students were washed away due to sudden release of water from the dam on June 8, 2014. Similarly, SANDRP had published an article on the non-functional fish ladder of the project[vii].
Salient Features: Dam: Lat: 31°43’10.70″N, Long: 77°12’42.11″E
Power House: Lat: 31°41’57.63″N, Long: 77° 9’53.56″E
Installed Capacity: 42 MW X 3 units
Power House position/ Water Conductor System length: Underground/4.958 km
Power House dimensions: 108.775 Mtr X 19.80 Mtr X 43.25 Mtr
Dam Length: 50 Mtrs approx, Height: 26.5 Mtrs
FRL: 969.5 Mtrs
MDDL: 963 Mtrs
Live Storage Capacity: 2.3 lakh cubic meters
Turbine design discharge: 83.33 M3/Sec, Non-Reversible
Penstock: nos: 3
Penstock Dia: 4500 mm
Penstock Length: Central Shaft: 75.743 M, Side Shafts: 82.12 Mtrs
Commissioning year: 2006.
Questions This whole episode raises a number of questions. Will there be an independent inquiry to understand how did the NHAI built such a disastrous highway? Will those responsible be held accountable? Are there any standard operating procedure involved before taking decisions about the highway encroaching into riverbeds? If not, why such ad hocism allowed to prevail? Will there be an independent review of such highways and bridges constructed by NHAI and others that may pose more such risk of disasters? Why did HPSEBL leave it at just writing a letter to NHAI and did it not take other necessary steps including going to court rather than sit idle after writing a letter? Did Larji project have a disaster management plan? Do all hydropower projects have a disaster management plan to face such flood risks particularly considering the changing rainfall pattern under changing climate? Is there a mechanism in the dam to ensure that river water does not enter the power house and its various components and also to ensure that the staff at the projet are not put to risk? Why did such a mechanism did not work in case of Larji project? Were there other factors at play that worsened the possibility of water entering the Larji power house? Will there be an inquiry to ascertain these?
Many questions and it is completely uncertain if we will get any answers to ANY of these.
SANDRP (ht.sandrp@gmail.com)
END NOTES:
[i] https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/4-laning-to-blame-hp-seeks-658-cr-from-nhai-for-loss-to-larji-project-533045
[ii] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwioy-HsqtSAAxWG2TgGHTkYD-8QFnoECBIQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fsansad.in%2FgetFile%2Floksabhaquestions%2Fannex%2F1712%2FAS217.pdf%3Fsource%3Dpqals&usg=AOvVaw0L9TvSrmx0Dg2vOK1pSnvK&opi=89978449
[iii] https://www.etvbharat.com/hindi/himachal-pradesh/state/shimla/sukhu-govt-on-larji-project-loss-due-to-nhai-in-himachal-govt-on-larji-dam/hp20230807103256137137626
[iv] https://indianexpress.com/article/india/five-killed-as-torrential-rain-wreaks-havoc-on-himachal-8821854/
[v] https://www.jagran.com/himachal-pradesh/mandi-beas-water-entered-the-power-house-of-larji-project-loss-of-crores-officers-saved-their-lives-by-running-in-mandi-23466023.html
[vi] https://himbumail.com/home/latest/ropa-khad-cross-danger-mark-in-kinnaur-power-projects
[vii] https://sandrp.in/2014/12/17/larji-dam-fishladder-an-unlovely-trinket-a-deceptive-ornament/
SANDRP 
“20:08 (IST), Aug 16
Schools, colleges shut on August 17
The Department of Education has announced the closure of all schools and colleges in Himachal Pradesh on August 17.
18:05 (IST), Aug 16
Flood-like situation in Punjab, Himachal; BBMB to keep floodgates open
All floodgates of the Bhakra and Pong dams will remain open for the next four-five days as heavy rains in catchment areas this week have alarmingly increased the water level in the reservoirs, a senior official of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) that regulates both dams said on Wednesday.
Hundreds of villages in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh located along the swollen Satluj and Beas rivers were inundated with the opening of floodgates of the dams as the inflow in their reservoirs has alarmingly increased owing to torrential rains in its catchment, mainly in the hill state.
“For the next four-five days the controlled release of water from the floodgates of both Bhakra and Pong dams would continue to keep the water in the reservoirs at the safe level,” BBMB Secretary Satish Singla told the media in Chandigarh.”
This is a clip from ToI article on Himachal Pradesh floods.
My question to who ever the governing body is, have they taken into account the relief measures needed for the inundated downstream villages due to this decision? Himachal CM has also said that the damaged done will need 1year to recover. Why do the successive governments are allowing dams to be built in higher altitudes when an old dam is giving difficulty to manage? Do they never consider excess torrential rains, siltation of reservoir due to all the washed away soil and boulders and trees and yet allow dumping of hill cut debris into the same river? It’s the public money, their life and loss of properties, we are asking about.
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