Sikkim: Teesta-III Dam damaged due to SKM Govt’s failure to follow rules and take precautions, alleges SDF

"The SKM government is playing around just to fool people," said SDF spokesperson M K Subba

Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) spokesperson M K Subba today said that the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) government needs to provide many clarifications because it is clear that they have terribly neglected to follow certain guidelines and take preventative measures while maintaining the Teesta Stage III Dam, which led to the dam’s damage following the catastrophic flood last year.

Speaking exclusively Northeast Live, M K Subba said, “From day one, the present government (SKM) is saying that the Dam was washed away because it was constructed on a very weak foundation. The pre-construction procedure was absolutely correct and the Central Water Commission obtained approval from the Central Electricity Authority for all aspects of it, including the survey and technical details. The SKM government is playing around just to fool people.”

He said that it is the SKM government which has not taken preventative measures and followed certain guidelines such as the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and Dam Safety Act 2021 while maintaining the Teesta Stage III Dam.

Due to its lapses in the above-mentioned issues, the present government is now required to provide many explanations. The incumbent SKM government is blatantly trying to suppress the actual facts and figures to misguide and confuse the public on such an important matter of public interest and security, he added.

He further said that SDF has sought an independent central agency investigation on the complete destruction of the Teesta Stage III Dam and the insurmountable loss of lives and damage to properties.

On November 10, 2023 Subba has also submitted a memorandum to the Ministry of Home Affairs seeking early intervention of the Central government to set up a CBI enquiry into the matter.

SDF has also sought to investigate on the SKM government’s deliberate non-compliance with the mandatory provisions of the Disaster Management Act 2005, deliberately not taking any preventive or mitigation measures despite clear classification of South Lhonak Lake and Chungthang, along with the subsequent downstream settlement, as a high GLOF hazard zone.

Teesta stage III Hydro Electricity Dam at Chungthang, North Sikkim was completely damaged by the catastrophic floods caused by the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) which occurred on the 3 and 4 of October 2023 from the South Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim.

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