Dima Hasao Locals Mourn Lack of Safety Measures at NEEPCO Pipe Rupture Site

Dima Hasao, October 10, 2019:

The locals of Dima Hasao have decried the lack of safety at the site of the pipe rupture in the Kapili Hydro Power project in Assam’s Dima Hasao district.

The son of a worker who had gone missing, told mediapersons, "This is a huge project, but the NEEPCO people only care about themselves. My father gave his entire life for this project, and for what? We demand results within 24 hours."

Another local said, "There are no provisions for rescue. Rescue personnel are yet to be seen. There is no safety and security here."

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Another irate local said that nobody has seen the disaster relief people in more than 24 hours. "Rapture can happen, but what measures are being taken? There are many things which need to be addressed urgently."

A NEEPCO officer said that they are trying their best to "sort it out." He also informed that rescue personnel had gone to the site, yet rescue work could not be commenced. They will be there again tomorrow.

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At least three persons were feared trapped inside a pump house after a pipeline carrying water to a hydro-power plant burst in Assam's Dima Hasao district in the wee hours of Monday.

The pipe had been repaired in 2018 but continued functioning without regular inspection. It supplied around 12,000 litres of water per second to the Kapili Hydro Power project from NEEPCO reservoir.

The incident led to injuries of many people in the area. Located on the River Kapili in the Dima Hasao District of Assam, the Kapili Hydro Electric Project was the maiden venture of NEEPCO, when it came into existence in 1976.

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