Mon, 12 October 2026
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Mon, 12 October 2026
By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, Oct. 12: The Tanahun Hydropower Project has conducted a disaster preparedness drill at its main dam construction site to strengthen emergency response, ensure worker safety and minimise potential disaster risks.
The exercise was conducted under the emergency response sub-plan of the project's River Safety Management Plan, targeting workers involved in Package 1 (headworks) and Package 2 (main tunnel, powerhouse and associated structures and equipment), according to Tanahun Hydropower Limited.
The drill covered safety measures during disasters, immediate rescue operations, evacuation to safe locations and coordination among concerned agencies during emergencies.
Chhabi Lal Gaire, managing director of Tanahun Hydropower Limited, the project manager and other officials, officers from the Kalibhanjan Battalion of the Nepali Army based in Damauli, representatives of the Project Supervision Consultant
(PSC), the environmental and social management service provider, and construction contractors attended the disaster preparedness and response practice.
Speaking at the programme, Gaire stressed the importance of preparedness, timely information dissemination and an effective rescue system in disaster management. He said the project had accorded high priority to the safety of workers at the construction site and the mitigation of potential risks.
He noted that such exercises played an important role in enabling prompt decision-making, improving coordination among concerned agencies and minimising loss of life during disasters.
Gaire added that the project's commitment to safety extended beyond workers at the construction site. He said that various programmes were being conducted to alert communities living downstream of the dam about potential floods and other risks and to help them remain safe during emergencies.
The project has installed 17 sirens to provide timely warnings about potential risks from the dam site downstream to the confluence of the Seti and Trishuli rivers.
Similarly, information boards have been placed at 10 locations to inform people about the precautions to take during floods and the need to move to safe locations in emergencies. The project has been integrating disaster risk reduction into its construction management practices.
It remains committed to ensuring the safety of construction workers and local residents through regular drills, emergency response preparedness, the strengthening of early warning systems and awareness programmes for downstream communities.
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