Crores for construction, crores for disaster relief: India’s expensive Himalayan hydropower projects

The sinking of the Himalayan town Joshimath in Uttarakhand is a reminder of the devastating climate-linked disasters that have hit the region all too frequently over the past decade.

In January, residents of Joshimath said several homes had developed cracks. Within weeks, more homes, buildings and roads had developed cracks and residents had to be moved out. Environmental experts said that this was the result of land subsidence or the sinking of land.

While much attention has been on the immediate human aspects of the tragedy, as residents were forced to abandon their homes, the long-term financial repercussions must be taken into consideration.

Joshimath is only the latest in a string of disasters in the Himalayas in India, with heavy financial and human costs. According to estimates from the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority, widespread destruction from high-intensity rainfall in the June 2013 floods had caused public infrastructure losses to the tune of Rs 13,844 crore. The August 2019 Uttarkashi cloudburst and landslides resulted in losses of Rs 260 crore.

A landslide in Chamoli district in February 2021 caused losses of Rs 1,600 crore to the Tapovan-Vishnugad hydropower project there, while heavy rainfall in October 2021 caused damages of Rs 2,000 crore in the Kumaon region and Rs 7,000 crore across the state.

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