Question : LOWER SUBANSIRI HYDRO ELECTRIC PROJECT

(a) whether the Government isconsidering to review all the proposal ofbig dams including the present design ofthe Dam of Lower SubansiriHydroelectricProject in Arunachal Pradesh;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government wasinformed about the devastating earthquakeof 1950 in North Eastern Region at thetime of submission of proposal of the LowerSubansiri Hydroelectric Project;

(d) if so, whether the Governmentconsidered the probable disaster out of abig water reservoir from a big Dam likelower Subansiri;

(e) if so, whether the Government isconsidering to negotiate with theprotestinglocal people against construction of big damat Lower Subansiri toavert further loss oftime and money; and

(f) if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF POWER (SHRI K.C. VENUGOPAL)

(a) & (b): The Government does not propose to review all the proposals of big dams in the country. However, as desired by Government of Assam (GoA), NHPC constituted an Expert Group consisting of experts from IIT, Guwahati, Gauhati University and Dibrugarh University to study the downstream impact of Lower Subansiri HEP (2000 MW). The Expert Group has submitted its final report on 3.3.2011. Meanwhile, on the concerns expressed by GoA regarding structural safety of the dam, Planning Commission has appointed a two Member Technical Experts Committee to study the technical reports of the Expert Group.

(c) & (d): Central Water Commission has informed that the seismic data / past history of earthquakes in the country is maintained by Indian Meteorological Department which includes the earthquake of 1950 referred herein. All such information has been taken into account for carrying out the seismic studies during submission of proposal of Lower Subansiri Hydro-electric Project. NHPC has informed that the occurrence of 1950 earthquake was considered during the site specific earthquake design parameters study for this Project by Department of Earthquake Engineering, IIT Roorkee.

(e) & (f): No, Madam. However, the concerns of local people on the safety of the dam has been referred to the Two Member Technical Experts Committee as mentioned in the foregoing replies. In addition, on the concerns of downstream impact, a Joint Steering Committee has been constituted by NHPC on 19.4.2011 to suggest feasible and practicable remedial measures in the downstream areas with reference to Expert Group`s recommendations on downstream impact of Subansiri Lower Dam (Part-II) alongwith issues related to flood, bank erosion and sediment control. Also, as recommended by Inter- Ministerial Group headed by Secretary (Water Resources), a Cumulative Environment Impact Assessment Study of Lohit Sub- basin has recently been completed by WAPCOS and studies for Subansiri and Siang sub-basins have been commissioned by Central Water Commission.