Following devastating flash floods in neighbouring Nepal that severely damaged key infrastructure—including at least 13 hydropower projects along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river corridors—the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to halt all proposed new hydropower projects in Sikkim. SIBLAC convenor and Sikkim BJP chief advisor Tseten Tashi Bhutia called for a comprehensive, time-bound, and independent inquiry to evaluate the environmental, geological, seismic, social, and national security implications of both existing and proposed power plants across the ecologically fragile state. Urging the Central government to publish a detailed white paper on the findings, Bhutia clarified that while the committee does not oppose economic development, infrastructural expansion must not compromise the ecological and social security of India’s Himalayan frontier. The demand highlights escalating concerns regarding high-density dam projects in fragile mountain terrains, particularly in light of Sikkim’s own 2023 glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) that destroyed the 1,200-MW Teesta-III project in Chungthang. Meanwhile, as rescue efforts continue across the border, the Sikkim state government has activated emergency helplines to assist residents stranded or impacted by the crisis in Nepal.
SIBLAC Urges PM Modi to Halt New Hydropower Projects in Sikkim After Nepal Floods
