19 Workers Trapped in Uttarakhand Power Plant Disaster

A massive landslide triggered by heavy rainfall has trapped 19 workers of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) inside the powerhouse of the Dhauliganga Power Project in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district on Sunday. The landslide, occurring in the Ealagarh area near Dharchula, blocked both the normal and emergency tunnels, cutting off access to the workers inside, officials reported.

Dharchula Deputy District Magistrate Jitendra Verma assured that all trapped workers are safe and in communication with authorities. “Machines, including JCBs from the Border Roads Organisation, have been deployed to clear the debris despite continuous falling rocks,” Verma said. He expressed confidence that the pathways would be cleared by evening, allowing the workers to exit safely.

The Dhauliganga Power Project, a 280 MW run-of-the-river hydroelectric facility on the Dhauliganga River, has faced similar incidents in the past, including devastating floods in 2013 and 2021 that caused significant damage. Despite the current crisis, Verma confirmed that power generation at the facility remains unaffected. Pithoragarh Superintendent of Police Rekha Yadav noted that the workers have sufficient rations and are in constant contact with NHPC and local administration.

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The incident underscores the vulnerability of hydropower projects in Uttarakhand’s fragile Himalayan region, where heavy rains and landslides are frequent. Environmentalists have long criticized such projects for exacerbating disaster risks. Rescue operations are ongoing, with authorities prioritizing the safe evacuation of the trapped workers as the community anxiously awaits their release.

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