Gangtok , July 23: The Government of Sikkim has constituted a four-member High Level Committee (HLC) to inquire into the causes and circumstances of the devastating explosion inside the under-construction ADIT-III tunnel of the NHPC Teesta Stage-VI Hydro Electric Project at Samardung, Jholungey, in Namchi District — a tragedy that has shaken the entire nation. The development comes even as rescue teams successfully recovered the lifeless bodies of all 25 trapped workers after 72 hours of intense, round-the-clock search operations.
The notification, No. 73/Home/2026, issued by the Home Department, Gangtok on July 22, 2026, by order and in the name of the Governor and signed by Chief Secretary R. Telang, IAS, states that the inquiry has been deemed expedient in the interest of public safety to determine what led to the incident of July 20 and to suggest remedial measures to prevent recurrence.
Composition of the High Level Committee
The HLC will be chaired by Shri Tashi Wangyal, IPS, Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), Sikkim Police. The other members are Shri Phigu Tshering Bhutia, Principal Director, Mines and Geology Department, and Shri Keshar Luitel, Additional Director, Mines and Geology Department, Government of Sikkim. Shri Tenzing Loden Lepcha, IPS, Deputy Inspector General of Police, CID, Sikkim Police, will serve as Member Secretary.
Terms of Reference
The Committee has been tasked with four key mandates. First, it must ascertain the exact cause, nature, and sequence of events leading to the explosion-like incident and the subsequent gas build-up inside the tunnel — including determining whether it was caused by blasting, a methane or noxious gas pocket, equipment failure, or any other reason.
Second, the Committee will examine whether all safety norms, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and statutory provisions under the Mines Act, 1952, Tunnel Safety Guidelines, and Explosives Rules, 2008 were being followed at the time of the incident, covering ventilation systems, gas detection mechanisms, and PPE usage.
Third, it will assess the adequacy and functioning of gas detection sensors, ventilation fans, and emergency exhaust systems inside the tunnel, and determine the type and source of the gas that leaked. The Committee is also empowered to examine any other matter it deems fit during the course of the inquiry.
The HLC has been directed to submit its report, along with findings and recommendations, to the competent authority within fifteen days from the date of issue of the notification. Copies have been marked to the Chief Minister’s Office, Raj Bhawan, the Director General of Police, and the Cabinet and Chief Secretariats.
The Tragedy That Shook The Nation
According to NHPC, the incident occurred at 1:04 PM on July 20, 2026, when a sudden burst of suspected methane gas trapped inside the rock formations triggered an explosion, filling the tunnel with dense fumes and toxic gases. As many as 25 workers, including a few project officers, were trapped inside the tunnel shortly after the blast.
A massive multi-agency operation followed, involving the NDRF, SDRF, Sikkim Police, and specialised coal mining rescue experts, with teams from Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL), Asansol, and a special rescue team from DG Mines-Safety joining the operation. After 72 hours of relentless effort in hazardous, gas-filled conditions, the bodies of all 25 workers were recovered — extinguishing the last hopes of survivors and plunging the state into mourning.
Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased worker and Rs 50,000 for every injured person, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. The Sikkim Assembly observed a two-minute silence, and both the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to the Chief Minister, assuring full central assistance. Chief Secretary Ravindra Telang chaired a high-level review meeting in Namchi in the presence of DGP Akshay Sachdeva, attended by the district administration, rescue agencies, NHPC Ltd, and Patel Engineering Ltd, which is executing the civil construction works.
The HLC’s findings, due within a fortnight, are expected to answer the questions haunting the families of the 25 workers — and the nation: was this tragedy preventable?
The Voice Of Sikkim will continue to follow this story and bring updates as the inquiry progresses.
News Desk TVS
