Nov 2023 Uttarakhand Barkot-Silkyara Tunnel Disaster: Where is rescue plan?

November 15, 2023November 16, 2023 SANDRP1 Comment

(Feature Image: Rescue operation underway at the collapse section of an under-construction tunnel between Silkyara and Dandalgaon on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri national highway in Uttarkashi. Image Source: PTI/ News18)

More than 72 hours have passed since 40 workers were trapped inside Barkot-Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi after a portion of the 4.5 km long, supposedly completed portion of the tunnel collapsed early morning on Sunday, Nov 12 2023. The rescue operation is going on as we write this on Wednesday, Nov 15 2023 morning and might take another day before the trapped workers are evacuated safely. While we all pray for the success of rescue operations and safety of the trapped workers; the incident has once again raised several questions over negligence in planning, appraisal & construction, absence of emergency rescue plan, violations of labour laws and environmental norms resulting in this avoidable accident.

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DRP News Bulletin

DRP NB 131123: Another Himalayan Disaster: 40 workers trapped in a tunnel in Uttarakhand

November 13, 2023November 13, 2023 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Ongoing rescue work inside Badkot-Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi. Image Source: HT)

In yet another disaster in the Himalayas, at least 40 workers are trapped in an under-construction tunnel being constructed by National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL), among others. The Hindustan Times has wrongly named the construction company as Hydroelectricity Investment & Development Company Limited (HIDCL) possibly of Nepal govt. Some people at the location have informed us that it may take another day before the workers are rescued.

NHIDCL was not even sure of the total of number of workers, as they gave the number as 36, which was corrected by the district administration later on to 40. It is also strange to see the work going on even on a Diwali day. Another disturbing aspect is that all the workers are reportedly mostly from outside Uttarakhand, when Uttarakhand villagers are known to migrate in large numbers to outside the state for employment. This disaster thus raises a lot of questions, which will need answers once the workers are rescued safely. The workers are still trapped over 30 hours after the disaster. The work at the 4.5 km long tunnel is being built under Char Dham Road Widening project since over 4 years, and violations have been happening in the work since then, as we reported in 2019.

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Rainfall

High Rainfall days in India’s districts in SW Monsoon 2023

November 10, 2023November 10, 2023 SANDRPLeave a comment

An analysis of the daily district wise rainfall data from India Meteorological Department (IMD) for India’s South West Monsoon 2023 shows that there were 2176 instances when a district rainfall of a day was above 50 mm. Such high rainfall instances included 1759 instances when rainfall was 50-100 mm, 329 instances when it was 100-150 mm, 64 times it was 150-200 mm and 24 times above 200 mm. Out of 717 districts of India, 531 districts or, about 74% of the districts experienced such high rainfall days during SW monsoon 2023.

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Cloud Burst

Himachal Pradesh 2023: How we are turning ‘Cloudbursts’ into Deadly Disasters

November 9, 2023January 3, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Primary School Building in Kuklah, Mandi buried under ‘cloudburst’ induced flashflood debris. Source: ETV Bharat)

In South West Monsoon season 2023, the hilly state of Himachal Pradesh has witnessed several ‘cloudburst’ incidents adding to the death tolls and infrastructural destruction on account of excessive rains, landslides and flash floods. SANDRP has compiled a detailed report on the subject here and this account highlights the summary of the report. Our previous analysis on ‘cloudburst’ incident in Himachal Pradesh state can be seen here 2022 (39 incidents); 2021(30 incidents); 2020 (3 incidents); 2019 (16 incidents); 2018 (21 incidents).

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DRP News Bulletin

DRP NB 061123: Dam Disasters bring focus on Dam Safety Governance in India

November 6, 2023November 6, 2023 SANDRP1 Comment

(Feature Image: Location of washed away Teesta Urja dam. Source: Ka Shlem)

Is the Dam Safety Panel (DSP) report dated Nov 1 2023 on Medigadda barrage on Gadavari in Telangana, a self-indictment of the Dam Safety Mechanism in India?

The report concludes: “it is construed that the I&CAD (Irrigation and Command Area Development) Dept. has nothing to submit about instrumentation data, pre-monsoon &post monsoon inspection reports, completion reports, quality control reports, condition of gates and many other inputs sought in the list therein”.

How and why did the NDSA (National Dam Safety Authority) allow such a state of affairs to continue for such an important dam that has huge implications for life and economy as the report itself says? What steps did the NDSA take before this disaster struck to ensure that all these basic dam safety measures were indeed in place and functioning? What is NDSA doing to ensure that all such basic steps and measures are in place at all the large dams in India? What did NDSA do to ensure that this dam, important from the point of view of life and economy, was also listed in CWC’s National Register of Large Dams? What has NDSA done to ensure that CWC’s National Register is indeed updated every year with inclusion of all large dams of India (Large dam as per its definition) and all their salient features? What has NDSA done to ensure that all Dam Safety information is in public domain promptly?

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Dam Safety

Dam Safety Panel report of Medigadda Dam Disaster indicts Telangana, L&T and Dam Safety in India

November 3, 2023November 15, 2023 SANDRP6 Comments

The Dam Safety Panel from Union Ministry of Jal Shakti has submitted its report on Nov 1, 2023, which says the disaster at the Medigadda Dam occurred “due to a combination of issues involving planning, design, quality control and Operation and maintenance” of the Dam. The report concludes: “The barrage under the present condition is rendered useless until fully rehabilitated.”

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Rainfall

High Rainfall days in India’s districts in Sept 2023

November 1, 2023November 1, 2023 SANDRPLeave a comment

An analysis of the daily district wise rainfall data from India Meteorological Department (IMD) for the month of September 2023, the last month of India’s South West Monsoon 2023 shows that there were 406 (417 in Sept 2022 [i] and 489 in Sept 2021 [ii]) instances when district rainfall of a day was above 50 mm. Such high rainfall instances included 330 (365 and 374 in Sept 2022 and 2021 respectively) instances when rainfall was 50-100 mm, 64 (47 and 84 in Sept 2022 and 2021) instances when it was 100-150 mm, 10 (3 and 20 in Sept 2022 and 2021) times when it was 150-200 mm and twice (two and eleven in Sept 2022 and 2021 respectively) when rainfall in a day was above 200 mm.

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