Himalayan Hydro Project Sparks Flood Fears

Environmentalists and local communities in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul-Spiti region are raising strong objections to the proposed Rs 2,352-crore Chenab-Beas Link hydro project. They contend that the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) project, which includes a 19-metre concrete barrage near Koksar and an 8.7-km tunnel, poses a significant risk of triggering catastrophic floods in an ecologically sensitive area.

The primary concern among opponents is the project's location near Koksar, a site identified as highly vulnerable due to expanding glacial lakes and proximity to major glaciers. Experts highlight the alarming increase in glacial lakes within the Chandra and Chenab basins between 2016 and 2022, escalating the potential for Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs).

Environmentalists warn that the construction activities, including blasting and tunneling, coupled with the barrage, could transform the Beas valley into a permanent high-risk flood zone. They point to the region's recent history of severe cloudbursts and flash floods, arguing that adding extra water to the Beas basin creates an unpredictable 'water bomb'.

Further concerns involve the proposed tunnel's discharge zone in the upper Beas basin, an area already prone to flash floods, landslides, and avalanches. Questions are also being raised about the capacity of the wider Beas-Satluj system to manage additional water flows, especially given reservoir sedimentation. Activists emphasize the need for a comprehensive basin-wide assessment and mandatory environmental, forest, and tribal clearances.