Twenty-nine workers were killed in a landslide at the Tehri dam. The contractor building the dam has blamed the weak mountains for the incident. Many experts agree that the mountains of the region are fragile. The dam will have a huge reservoir that would only increase the risk of a breach, which could trigger a calamity. Further, the controversial dam is being built in an earthquake-prone region. Was the incident a tragedy foreseen? KUSHAL P S YADAV reports from Tehri. Photographs by SURYA SEN