Sun Apr 20 00:15:00 UTC 2025: ## Assam Fears Downstream Impact as Controversial Dam Nears Completion

**GUWAHATI, April 20, 2025** – The impending activation of the 2,000-megawatt Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Project (LSHP) in Arunachal Pradesh has sparked widespread concern in downstream Assam. NHPC, the project’s developer, plans to begin generating electricity by the end of May, filling the reservoir by April. This move has ignited protests, particularly due to the non-establishment of an independent reservoir management authority, a key recommendation from a 2019 Environment Ministry panel.

The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) has criticized the central government for failing to fulfill its commitment to establish the Subansiri Independent Integrated Reservoir Management Authority (SIIRMA). Experts and environmentalists echo these concerns, highlighting the 2019 expert committee report and a Wildlife Institute of India (WII) study warning of potential risks, including the threat of elephants being swept away during emergency water releases.

The SIIRMA was proposed to monitor reservoir levels and mitigate downstream risks, particularly during floods. Recommendations also included maintaining a minimum water release and preventing peaking discharges from exacerbating erosion on Majuli Island. Despite government acceptance of the 2019 recommendations, the SIIRMA remains unestablished. Experts warn that postponing its creation until 2026, when the entire project is slated for completion, is unacceptable, as independent reservoir management is crucial regardless of power generation capacity. The LSHP, initially started in 2005, faced suspensions due to protests between 2011 and 2019 before the National Green Tribunal cleared the project in 2019.

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