Assam: NEEPCO’s dam repair work turns Ranganadi turbid again
North Lakhimpur: The waters of Ranganadi river in Lakhimpur district has once again turned turbid following the release of industrial sediments of the dam of 405 MW Panyor (Ranganadi) Hydro Electrical Project (PHEP) plant by the North East Electrical Power Corporation (NEEPCO) on its upstream at Yazali in Arunachal Pradesh.
The river has been seen with black sediments on its downstream areas in Lakhimpur district since the morning of January 8 affecting riverine ecosystem and alarming the people living on its banks.
The river is turning murky with black water with foul odour causing death of fishes and other aquatic species.
It also has made the riverine people to stop their cattle from drinking the water from the river.
Alarmed by the murky black water and dead fishes along the banks of Ranganadi in its downstream areas in Lakhimpur district, the riverine villagers have raised concerns about water quality in the river and its effect on human health and the aquatic ecosystem.
Public here have alleged complicity by the NEEPCO on the impact of their dam repair work on the downstream of Ranganadi river as seen in darkened water and sediments compounded by dead fishes.
The Panyor Hydro Electric Project (PHEP) of NEEPCO issued a notice on December 26, 2024 at Yazali, informing the public that it will release the water of the Ranganadi river through the radial gates of the dam due to maintenance work in the power house in Hoj from 7 am onwards from January 7 to March 15.
It also gave an additional warning that the released water may carry silt and will be unsuitable for drinking.
However the PSU did not communicated the same warning notice to Lakhimpur district administration.
The district administration learned about the release of the dam wastes into the Ranganadi river three days ago.
The riverbank areas of Ranganadi near North Lakhimpur like Bogoleejan, Borbeel, Pachnoi, Borbeel Major Chapori, Dejo Chapori, Gobarisali, Zoihing, Pahumora, Aamtola, Joinpur etc. have been experiencing the flow of darkened water with mud, silt and oily substances in the river these days.
Cattle and domestic animals suffer the most from the river as they avoid drinking water mixed with foreign elements.
People fear that the pollution in the river will affect public health in the region by contaminating the groundwater.
Six years ago, on February 9, 2019, downstream Ranganadi in Lakhimpur district witnessed an unprecedented amount of silt and muddy water on the river, released from the same dam of NEEPCO’s 405 MW Panyor (then Ranganadi) Hydro Electric Project (RHEP) in Yazali, Arunachal Pradesh.
The recurrence of the dumping of the silt to Ranganadi river by NEEPCO’s PHEP signals a gloomy future ahead for people living in its downstream areas of Lakhimpur district with a possible impact on their livelihoods and an already fragile ecosystem ravaged by annual monsoon flood and bank erosion.