India's power ministry ridicules safety concern on Subansiri dam

India's Ministry of Power brushed aside the apprehensions of Arunachal Pradesh government about the dam safety of NHPC's 2,000 MW Subansiri.

Lower project. It pointd pout that all the recognized top institutes of the country were consulted to set the design parameters for the project.


The ministry maintains that the Central Water Commission, Geological Survey of India, Central Soil & Materials Research Station, Delhi and Central

Water and Power Research Station, Pune as well as IIT, Roorkee checked the project parameters and okayed the dam structure.

It added that considering the fact that the entire Himalayas lies in Seismic Zone-V, extensive survey & investigation activities are carried out after allocation of all the hydel projects to prepare the Detailed Project Reports to be vetted by the Central Electricity Authority for concurrence.

While doing so, the CEA examines various technical aspects, including the dam safety and design of various structures in consultation with CWC and GSI.
Further, the site specific seismic studies are also carried out for all the hydel projects and put up to the National Committee on Seismic Design Parameters

for their recommendations, thereby negating the concerns of dam safety for any approved project like Subansiri Lower, claims the MoP.