Guwahati: The Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to put a halt to new hydropower projects in the state and order an independent inquiry into existing projects following the devastating floods in neighbouring Nepal.
In a statement issued on Wednesday evening, August 26, SIBLAC convenor Tseten Tashi Bhutia called for a fresh assessment of development activities in the Himalayan region in light of the disaster in Nepal.
Bhutia, who is also the chief advisor to the BJP in Sikkim, expressed sympathy for those affected by the floods and wished success for the ongoing rescue operations.
“The disaster in Nepal highlights the vulnerability of the Himalayan region, requiring a fresh assessment of development activities,” Bhutia said, urging the Centre to reconsider plans for new hydropower projects on Sikkim’s rivers.
The demand comes after extensive damage to hydropower infrastructure in Nepal. The Nepal Electricity Authority reported that at least 13 hydropower projects along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river corridors were affected by the disaster.
The flash floods followed an avalanche involving ice and rocks near Tibet’s Gyirong area, sending large volumes of water and debris downstream. Roads, power infrastructure and villages were severely damaged.
Among the affected facilities was the 111-MW Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Plant in Nepal’s Rasuwa district.
Against this backdrop, SIBLAC has called for a time-bound and independent assessment of hydropower projects in Sikkim. The proposed inquiry, according to the committee, should examine the environmental, geological and seismic impacts of both existing and proposed power plants.
It also called for an assessment of the potential social and national security implications of hydropower development in the strategically sensitive Himalayan state.
SIBLAC further urged the Centre to release a white paper detailing the findings of the proposed assessment.
The committee said it was not opposed to economic development but argued that development should not compromise the ecological and social security of the Himalayan frontier.
The demand also comes against the backdrop of Sikkim’s own experience with extreme weather and hydrological disasters.
In October 2023, a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) caused extensive destruction along the Teesta basin and severely damaged the 1,200-MW Teesta-III hydropower project at Chungthang.
The disaster affected several downstream power installations and highlighted the vulnerability of Sikkim’s infrastructure to extreme weather events and geological hazards.
Meanwhile, the Sikkim government has activated helplines to assist residents of the state who may be stranded or affected by the floods in Nepal.