Dams built violating rules make Himachal floods worse

Kangra rain fury

Amid 10 people being trapped in the reservoir at the Kol Dam Hydel Project, the Himachal Pradesh government declared that 21 out of the 23 dams across the state have violated safety norms.

“As many as 21 dams have not adhered to the safety norms and legal action will be taken against them,” Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena told PTI. Larji hydropower project in Mandi, Jateon in Sirmaur, Sawra Kuddu project in Shimla and Sainj in Kullu are among the violators, according to officials.

This is not the first time that dams have added to the trouble faced by the state during floods. After the July flood, state Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi said most of the dams in the state don’t have a flood warning system.

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Deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri, who also holds the Jal Shakti (hydel) charge, said, “It is mandatory that every dam has its own meteorological instruments to measure rainfall in the catchment areas of rivers. This should be done under corporate social responsibility.”

Over the last few years, these dams have also witnessed casualties. In 2014, as reported in various publications, 24 engineering students from Hyderabad were washed away when the Larji project officials on the Beas River opened floodgates without warning. According to a Hindustan Times report, three people died after a pipe burst at the Sorang hydroelectric project in Burang village of Bhabanagar sub-division of Kinnaur. In 2019, two boys drowned in the Pong dam.

According to an Outlook India report, the opening of the flood gates at Pandoh Dam resulted in massive floods in Beas River and washed away the historic Panchvaktra bridge at Mandi town. Many including the landmark Aut bridge connecting the interiors of the Banjar area in Kullu were swept away.

“We have seen even worse kinds of rains lasting for six to seven days. The rain water used to flow down as flash floods. Now just note how the rivers take a toll and hills crumble down after rains. It’s only because we have interfered with natural resources. Why do the rivers get muddy when rain water is so clean? It’s debris changing colour of the river water,” said state’s Principal Secretary (Disaster Management) Onkar Sharma in an Outlook India report.