South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People
(Feature Image: Rockfall at Chamera III dam site in Chamba on July 24, 2026. Source: Amar Ujala)
A rockfall at the dam site of the 231 MW Chamera-III Hydro Project narrowly averted a major tragedy on July 24, 2026. The incident occurred close to the dam construction area around 6 PM near Kharamukh on the Pathankot–Bharmour NH in Chamba dist, Himachal Pradesh.
Continue reading “July 2026: Workers Injured by Rockfall near Chamera-III Dam Site in Ravi Basin”(Feature Image: Flood spell in Chenab river overtopping and damaging part of cofferdam at 850 MW Ratle HEP in Kistwar, J&K. Source: Greater Kashmir).
The cofferdam of Ratle Hydroelectric Project (HEP) was partially damaged due to a floods in Chenab river on July 23, 2026. The 850 MW project is under construction near Drabshalla village in Kishtwar district of Jammu & Kashmir. The cofferdam was built to divert river flows and facilitate construction of the main concrete gravity dam.
Continue reading “July 2026: Chenab Flood Damages Ratle HEP Coffer Dam in J&K”(Feature Image: Joint rescue and recovery operation at Teesta VI HEP tunnel site in Samardung, Sikkim: Image credit: PTI/Source: ETV Bharat)
The methane leak and explosion disaster on 20 July 2026 inside the under-construction ADIT-III tunnel of NHPC’s 500 MW Teesta Stage-VI Hydroelectric Project (HEP) at Samardung in South Sikkim claimed the lives of all 25 trapped workers, making it one of the worst tunnel accidents in India’s hydropower sector.
Continue reading “July 2026: 25 Workers Killed in NHPC Teesta-VI HEP Tunnel Disaster in Sikkim”A landslide incident has partially damaged the power house tunnel of NHCP’s Dhauliganga HEP in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand. The incident occurred in the evening of Aug 30, 2025 after heavy rainfall also blocked the mouth of underground tunnel with rocks and debris. The HEP is built on Dhauliganga river in Dharchula tehsil of the district.
Continue reading “Aug 2025: Landslide Damages NHPC’s Dhauliganga HEP in Uttarakhand”(Feature Image: Assam Floods: Commuters wade through a flooded road after incessant rains, in Guwahati, Friday, July 5, 2024. Image Source: PTI/ABP Live)
The Union Government plan to spend Rs 2517 Cr in 2 years in seven metro cities to mitigate floods is certainly welcome announcement. The key component of the plan, conservation and improving capacity of urban water bodies is noteworthy along with storm water drainage. Does it mean that the River Front Development projects that actually reduce the flood carrying capacity of the rivers will be closed, since one does not expect govt to be working at cross purposes in different schemes.
In fact, Urban Water Sector as a whole needs attention with National Urban Water Policy as a first step. This is because the groundwater aquifers that are fast being emptied out, can be least cost option for storing the excess rain water, serving the purpose of reducing storm water drainage load and also improving water conservation. There is huge scope for this in all the seven metros listed in the scheme as also in many other cities.
Continue reading “DRP N260824: Urban flooding plan welcome, Urban Water Sector needs attention”(Feature Image: One dead in NHPC’s Dibang multipurpose worksite. Source: The Arunachal Times, X post July 17, 2024)
Months after work on Dibang Multipurpose Project (DMP) started, a worker has died in fatal accident at the project site which reportedly occurred at 03:00 am on July 16, 2024. The deceased is identified as Primal Udao a native of Cooch Bihar district of West Bengal. There is no confirmed information from the NHPC on the exact cause of his death.
Continue reading “July 2024: A Worker killed at Dibang Multipurpose Project in Arunachal Pradesh”(Feature Image: Water stream flowing though Parbati -II hydro project tunnel on Nov. 17, 2023. Image Source: Divya Himachal)
The controversial Parbati-II hydro power project has suffered another major setback after massive water leakages was witnessed from the drainage gallery of its power house in the evening on Nov 17, 2023. The sudden gushing down of water from the tunnel caused panic among project staff and local people. About two dozen workers had to run away to save their lives. The water leakages resembled a flowing river as seen in this video report by Divya Himachal.
Continue reading “Parbati-II Leakage disaster in Himachal Pradesh in Nov 2023”(Feature Image:- Deluge in Pin Parbati river engufling riverbank habitations in Sainj market on July 09, 2023. Source: Anil Khatri Vlogs)
The official report of what has transpired in Sainj Valley under Banjar subdivision of Kullu district during July 8-10, 2023 is still not in public domain, however the multiple media reports suggest it to be one of the worst flood disasters for the valley and have once again raised serious questions on the role the hydroelectric power (HEP) projects. Local people have specifically underlined the gross negligence by National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) company for turning floods into a disaster. Moreover, old media reports from the area have also highlighted that it was a disaster in the making for which the state government machinery as well hydro projects and NHPC have contributed hugely.
Continue reading “Himachalis blame NHPC dams for flood disaster in Sainj Valley in July 2023”(Screengrab of India Today North East video report on landslide at Lower Subansiri HEP site on April 03, 2023)
The site of Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Power (HEP) has witnessed another massive landslide on April 3, 2023. The 2000 MW project is being developed by NHPC Ltd at Gerukamukh bordering Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
As per North East India 24 report, the landslide triggered by rainfall has caused damage in the main part of the dam and the workers had to be evacuated to a safe place. No human casualty has been reported from the incident.
Continue reading “April 2023: Another Landslide at Lower Subansiri HEP”(Feature Image: Screen grab of Sikkim Spectators field visit video report interviewing landslide affected local people)
NHPC’s Teesta V HEP dam site has again witnessed a disastrous landslide. The incident occurred between 02:00 am and 03:00 am on Sunday, March 26, 2023 in Sokpay village area under Dikchu Zang block of Gangtok district. The same morning, Gyatso Lepcha of Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT), Sikkim alerted SANDRP about the landslide.
Continue reading “Sikkim: Landslide near NHPC’s Teesta V dam in March 2023”
SANDRP 