Parbati hydel project leak caused panic in the Sainj area of Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district late on Saturday night, September 19. A sudden surge of water and debris followed a leak at the Parbati hydroelectric project II. Officials said the flow damaged one house, three sheds and two temporary cafes in the Raila panchayat.
The Kullu district administration has ordered an inquiry. It has also asked NHPC to explain what went wrong and to compensate the affected locals. The Hindustan Times reported the details.
What caused the Parbati hydel project leak?
The cause is not final yet. Banjar Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Pankaj Sharma gave a preliminary assessment on Sunday. He said there appeared to be a technical glitch in a tunnel between the HRT and the project’s powerhouse. That led to the water leak. A flood like situation followed downstream. Water, muck and debris rushed through the area. Some families had to leave their homes. They spent the night at safer places or with relatives. The report does not mention any injuries or deaths.
HRT stands for head race tunnel. It carries water from the reservoir towards the powerhouse. The exact reason for the glitch has not been officially confirmed. The district administration has taken several steps:
- Sharma said officials visited the spot and assessed the situation.
- An inquiry committee has been formed to probe the matter.
- NHPC has been asked to submit a report on the reasons for the incident.
- NHPC has also been asked to say whether any standard operating procedures (SOPs) were not followed.
- NHPC has been asked to compensate locals for their losses.
Acting Deputy Commissioner and Additional District Magistrate Surjeet Singh Rathore said the leakage from the tunnel has been stopped. Machinery has been deployed to remove the accumulated debris. Rathore said a team of officials is assessing the situation at the site. They have been told to assess the possible damage. He said they should address the concerns of local residents on priority.
The inquiry committee’s findings have not been made public. NHPC’s report on the incident is also awaited. The amount of compensation has not been stated in the report.