(Feature Image: Flashflood breached Malana I HEP coffer dam & washed away vehicles on Aug. 01, 2025 in Kullu district, HP)
The controversial Malana-I hydroelectric power (HEP) project has again faced significant damages by a ‘cloudburst’ induced flashflood disaster in afternoon of Aug 1, 2025. The 86 Mw project is based on Malana stream, a tributary of Parvati in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. Interestingly, the project’s dam site had suffered major destruction exactly one year ago on Aug 1, 2024 in a similar ‘cloudburst’ disaster.
Currently the project was undergoing restoration work when the disaster has again affected it severely. The latest deluge has partially damaged the temporary coffer dam of the project. The flash flood washed away dumper, a hydra crane, a rock braker, a car and a camper. A tanker and a crane belonging to the project company has also been damaged. These machineries were engaged in restoration of the project after the disaster on Aug 1 last year.
The retaining wall of the project has reportedly caved in in the incident leading to heavy discharge and severe soil erosion along the Malana stream. The deluge has also damaged the repair work being done there. Fortunately, no human casualty occurred due to the incident.
The deluge has also destroyed the footbridge connecting Malana village and the bridge to Pohal village, cutting off access to the historic Malana village. Agricultural land in Pohal, Baladhi, and adjoining areas has also suffered significant damage due to the flooding.
In last year’s flashflood the project had suffered losses worth crores. Though, there is no official information available either by the administration or by the project company, however, the project has again apparently suffered losses to the tune of crores.
It is worth mentioning that like Malana I HEP, the upstream 100 Mw Malana II HEP has also been facing repeated disasters during monsoon months for the past four years. The project properties were damaged by a ‘cloudburst’ in July 2022. In July 2023, the gates of the dam got jammed for months following a ‘cloudburst’ induced flashflood. Again in July 2024, a ‘cloudburst’ disaster caused significant damages to the project trapping several workers in the flashflood. It is not clear whether the latest disaster has affected the project or not.
The latest disaster only shows the increasing vulnerabilities of HEP projects built and under construction in the Himalayas. It also proves that hydro project companies are paying no heed to safety restriction in construction activities during monsoon months and deliberately risking the lives of workers and projects. It is apparent that these companies are not willing to learn any lessons despite facing repeated destruction and disasters.
SANDRP
SANDRP 
Repeated monsoon disasters in the himalayas, specially in these region and damaging these dams show nature’s own way of reclaiming what is its own property. Similar incident is taking place with Teesta stage III in Sikkim despite calling for not to restore the 12000 crore project after heavy damages in Oct 2023.
Project companies won’t pay heed to any expertise because a huge money trail is involved and thats too, at the cost of destroying the nature.
(Dharali was a village as I saw it last time in 2010, now there were 3 storey buildings, hotels and homestays which were tossed in air by the flash flood in Khirganga rivulet 2 days back. Despite repeated calls that houses and hotels must not be built near rivers or streams, there’s no one to listen.)
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