: The Axom Jatiya Gana Sangram Parishad (AJGSP), a forum for “exploring logical solutions to various problems in Assam”, here on Saturday cautioned the Project Oversight Committee (POC) of the 2,000-mega watt Subonsiri Lower Hydroelectric project of the NHPC in Arunachal Pradesh against finalising its report on safety aspect of the mega dam without consulting the experts on earthquake engineering or structural engineering.
The decision to constitute the eight-member POC — four experts from Assam and four nominated by the Centre — was taken at a consultative meeting convened by Union Power Minister Piyush Goel on December 10 and 11, 2014 with all stakeholders of the project to break the deadlock over the stalled hydropower project. The POC was given three months time to finalise the report.
The construction work of the project has been halted since December 16, 2011 due to opposition by various organisations in Assam as they fear it would be detrimental to the interest of the people living in downstream areas in Assam. They also expressed doubt over the safety of the dam as it is located in a highly seismic zone.
Making a presentation at a press conference on the latest developments relating to the project, Mr J.N. Khataniar, Consultant Engineer and Adviser, AJGSP, who also took part in the December 10-11 consultative meeting, insisted that as no expert on earthquake engineering or structural engineering was included among the four experts from Assam, the POC should not arrive at any conclusion on structural safety aspects of the mega dam without consultation with these experts.
The POC, which held its first meeting here on January 28, decided to hold its subsequent meetings closed door involving only committee members. The POC decided to hold the next meeting at the dam site on February 23 and 24 and review the safety aspects of the dam in line with the recommendation made by the Expert Group from Assam and the Technical Expert Committee.
Mr Khataniar pointed out that from 2005 till 2013 it has been recorded in “Integrated Flood Moderation Study – NHPC” and in many joint steering/study committee reports time to time as “In Subansiri basin integrated reservoir operation of Subansiri Lower, Subansiri Middle and Subansiri Upper projects shall be required for effective flood moderation in downstream part” but the project on the lower part was taken without operating the two projects for the upper and middle part of the river Subonsiri.
Mr Khataniar also alleged that the mandatory dam break analysis was not carried out by the NHPC before starting the construction work.
