The Subansiri Lower Dam project, which has been a source of controversy due to its location on the Assam-Arunachal border, was impacted by a landslide caused by pre-monsoon rains in the region on Monday
The National Hydro-Electric Power Corporation (NHPC) claims that the project will still be operational by June this year despite the setback.
As parts of Northeast India experienced pre-monsoon rain and hailstorms, locals captured videos of soil and boulders tumbling down a hillside that has been excavated for construction beside the Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project at Gerukamukh in Assam’s Dhemaji district.
The executive director of the project, Vipin Gupta, stated that the landslide did not harm the project. “There was some overhang that we were planning to remove by blasts. That portion has fallen off by itself because of the rainfall,” he explained.
The NHPC has informed the district administration that there is no need to panic, according to an official. “They said the project will not be affected in any manner. We will be doing a check on the ground to verify this and see if there are any measures to be taken,” said the official.
Despite the harsh weather conditions before the onset of monsoon this year, Gupta said that the NHPC is “on target” to begin operations in two units of the dam.