CAP Slams Environment Ministry’s Approval for Teesta-III Dam, Cites Lack of Public Hearings

The CAP has announced plans to file a Right to Information (RTI) request and take further action against the decision.

The Citizen Action Party (CAP) has strongly opposed the Environment Ministry’s approval for rebuilding the Teesta-III Dam in Chungthang, North Sikkim. The approval, granted by the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC), has sparked controversy over environmental and legal concerns.

During a press conference, CAP spokesperson Mahesh Rai criticised the decision, highlighting the absence of public hearings in the approval process. He accused the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) government of silencing local voices in Chungthang, where the dam is located.

Rai also pointed to the ongoing legal case concerning the 2023 Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF), which caused widespread devastation. Opposition leader MK Subba has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Sikkim High Court regarding the incident. Rai questioned how the Environment Ministry could approve the dam’s reconstruction while the matter remains subjudice.

The CAP has announced plans to file a Right to Information (RTI) request and take further action against the decision. With growing concerns over environmental and social impacts, the approval of the Teesta-III Dam’s reconstruction remains a contentious issue.

Earlier yesterday, the BJP also voiced strong opposition to the Environment Ministry’s approval for the reconstruction project of the Teesta III dam under the guise of ‘expansion or modernisation.’

Passang Sherpa, Spokesperson of BJP Sikkim, and Niren Bhandari, Media in charge argued that this approval fails to address the grave ecological and safety concerns posed by the Teesta-III dam, especially in the aftermath of the devastating October 2023 disaster.

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