Shashanka Shekhar Goswami
(career.sasank@gmail.com)
Floods continue to cause pain and suffering for the people of Assam year after year. While heavy rainfall is a natural cause, human-made mistakes make things worse. One of the most serious issues is the sudden release of water by the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) without warning or proper coordination with the state government. This has led to major flooding in the past and, sadly, has happened again this year in the Lakhimpur district.
In 2018, a similar incident took place in Golaghat district when NEEPCO released water from the Doyang Hydro Electric Project in Nagaland without prior notice. Over 100 villages were flooded, more than 50,000 people were affected, and vast areas of farmland were destroyed. Social activist and former Oil India Limited DGM P.K. Dutta filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Gauhati High Court, demanding better coordination between NEEPCO and the Assam government to prevent such disasters.
Despite such a clear warning from the past, NEEPCO repeated the same mistake in May 2025. This time, the victim is flood-hit Lakhimpur district. On the night of May 30, NEEPCO released a large volume of water from the Ranganadi Hydro Electric Plant at Yazali in Arunachal Pradesh. The dam gates were opened up to 1,250 mm, causing the Ranganadi River to overflow by around 1 AM on May 31. This sudden release of water led to flash floods in several areas.
Two people lost their lives, and thousands of families had to evacuate. Many homes and agricultural lands were submerged. What made the situation worse is that the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) had already issued a heavy rainfall warning on May 29. Even after this alert, NEEPCO went ahead with the water release without informing the Assam government or the local administration in time.
This lack of communication gave no chance for rescue teams to act or for residents to prepare. It raised serious concerns about NEEPCO’s sense of responsibility and coordination with state authorities.
On June 2, 2025, Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma visited the affected areas in Lakhimpur. He later held a meeting with senior NEEPCO officials at the Ranganadi Power Plant in Lilabari. In the meeting, the Chief Minister directly questioned why NEEPCO had failed to inform the government before releasing water. He said such actions not only damage property and crops but also destroy public trust.
The Chief Minister made it clear that such mistakes must not be repeated. He stressed the importance of following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and told NEEPCO to always give prior notice before releasing water. He urged better coordination between NEEPCO and the district administration so that people can be alerted and evacuated in time.
He also assured the flood-affected people that the Assam government will provide immediate relief and take long-term steps to reduce the risk of future floods.
What’s worrying is that this problem is not new. The Gauhati High Court had already instructed both the Assam government and NEEPCO to improve communication and ensure timely warnings. Yet, the same mistakes keep repeating. Promises are made, but no real change is seen on the ground.
Many environmental experts have said that while hydroelectric power is important, it must not come at the cost of human lives. Dams must be managed carefully, especially in flood-prone states like Assam. Water should be released in smaller amounts and only after proper warning. Announcements should be made through local administration, news media, and community networks to inform people in time.
The people of Assam are tired of paying the price for poor planning. Floods are not just a water problem—they destroy homes, dreams, and lives. When government bodies and agencies act carelessly, they break the trust of the public.
It’s time for serious change. A joint task force should be formed with officials from the Assam government, NEEPCO engineers, disaster management teams, and local administrators. This team should meet before every monsoon season to assess risks and plan safety measures. Satellite-based monitoring should be used to track rainfall and reservoir levels. Awareness programmes and flood drills should also be held regularly in vulnerable areas.
In the end, the safety of people must come first. Assam cannot afford to suffer the same disaster again and again. The flood in Lakhimpur in 2025 should serve as a final wake-up call. If NEEPCO and the government learn the right lessons, such tragedies can be avoided.