Buried questions: On the Sikkim tunnel accident
An accident at the under-construction Teesta Stage-VI hydroelectric project in Sikkim's Namchi district, operated by NHPC Limited, resulted in at least 15 deaths after workers struck a pocket of suspected trapped methane. The article highlights the inherent dangers of underground excavation in the geologically fragile and seismically active Himalayan region, where methane is a known hazard. It questions whether risk assessments and safety protocols, including gas detection and ventilation, were adequately implemented and whether environmental clearance conditions were strictly met. The incident is placed in context with other recent underground work tragedies in India and the vulnerability of Himalayan hydropower projects, citing the 2023 Teesta-III dam destruction by a glacial lake outburst flood.
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