(Feature Image: Drain No. 2 carrying untreated effluents in Yamuna river in Panipat. March 30, 2025, SANDRP)
The following report this week about lack of reliable data on Rivers raises right questions, including if there is any hope for our rivers without such reliable data? The report however, misses the point that Central Water Commission, which works more like a lobby for large dams, has clearly no interest in sustaining, reviving or rejuvenating our works.
The report also narrates how difficult it is to get even available limited data on rivers. That takes to another issue that the report misses: Quality of available data. With poor quality of the data, what interest would the data gathering institute have, when they know the quality of the data and clearly would not like to be exposed on that score.
But it can be argued that what stops the state governments from gathering reliable data of necessary type and quality? The reality is that the CWC is supposed to be India’s premier water resources agency, and it knows and acts like one. The states have to depend on CWC for approvals of all the projects, including dam safety, policy, financial resources, besides the data. This ensures that almost no state has the resources or has the will or feel the necessity of gathering good quality data independent of CWC.
There is clearly a need for shake up of institutional architecture in India’s water resources sector with an independent set of institutions including one in charge of gathering all the water and river related data and putting it out promptly in public domain. It is only such an independent institution with no conflict of interest or axe to grind that will provide a glimmer of hope for our rivers.
Lack of Reliable data on rivers in India imperils River Revival The SAC-2 meeting revealed the persistent paralysis in our water-governance ecosystem. India’s rivers are drying, polluted and poorly monitored. Yet policy and infrastructure decisions continue to rely on patchy, inaccessible data. River management remains reactive, not knowledge-driven. Strengthening India’s data systems is an urgent governance necessity.
The Condition Assessment and Management Plan (CAMP), a national initiative under the Ministry of Jal Shakti’s National River Conservation Directorate, offers a glimmer of change. It aims to prepare scientific, basin-level management plans for six major rivers: Godavari, Krishna, Mahanadi, Cauvery, Narmada and Periyar. The programme brings together institutions such as IISc and several IITs/NITs to assess the present conditions and recommend interventions for river rejuvenation.
All the research teams stressed the need to monitor rivers at higher frequency and finer spatial scales. Everyone agreed that robust data are the foundation for good river management. But how to overcome the institutional bottlenecks that make even existing data inaccessible or unreliable was not addressed.
One major takeaway was the inadequacy of our flow-monitoring network. The Central Water Commission (CWC) stations are simply too sparse to capture today’s ground reality. For instance, there are only two discharge stations on the 172 km long Arkavathy river, which drains which drains a 4,178 sq km catchment. Both are located near the downstream stretches, leaving the highly urbanised upper reaches (read Bengaluru’s outflows) completely unmonitored. Without such information all plans remain guesswork.
Experts are forced to expend months pursuing essential data that should already be publicly accessible. If such datasets were open-source and standardised, we could move faster from: data—>diagnosis—>decision —>implementation —>monitoring —> learning.
Transparent data is not just a technical need; it is a democratic necessity. When information about rivers is public, citizens can engage, question and contribute. Our national scientific temperament grows when ordinary people can see, interpret and debate the same evidence that experts and officials rely on. Access to shared data transforms people from subjects to citizens. It builds accountability because decisions can then be verified, not just announced. If we can make data accessible, reliable and transparent, our rivers stand a chance of revival, and our governance, a chance of reform.
HYDRO POWER PROJECTS
NHPC launches wet commissioning of Subansiri Lower HEP The NHPC Limited launched the wet commissioning of the unit-1 (250 MW) of its ambitious 2,000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (HEP) on 24 October, following a successful mechanical run of the turbine, marking the beginning of operation of the project. The NHPC is also planning to bring three additional 250 MW units online this year to inject a total of 1,000 MW into the national grid, the power developer stated in a release.
AASU warns of downstream disaster risks Expressing frustration over what they describe as years of neglect and disregard for scientific cautions, AASU member Dipak Sarma said, “AASU has been saying from the beginning that this hydroelectric project will endanger the lives of the people of Assam and disrupt Assam’s culture. Scientists warned against building the dam here, but the government ignored those suggestions. Any lives lost downstream will be the government’s responsibility.”
Subansiri Upper HEP public hearing rescheduled The Arunachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board has rescheduled the public hearing for the 1,650 MW Subansiri Upper Hydroelectric Project from 30 October to 28 October at the Menga Government Secondary School. The project, which was formerly named the Oju-I and Oju-II hydroelectric projects, has faced stiff resistance from students and those who are likely to be affected by the power plant. Earlier this month, they protested against the project at district headquarters Daporijo and in front of the office of the deputy commissioner, demanding that the project be scrapped.
Greens urge authorities to halt Sharavathi PSP Environmentalists expressed concern regarding the need to protect the Western Ghats from destructive activitiesthat disturb the ecosystem of the Sharavathi River for development projects. They said the Union Ministry must ensure that no PSPs are located within legally protected areas or in ecologically, geologically, and otherwise sensitive zones of the Western Ghats.
Sharavathi PSP: MoEF to assess storage plan on Oct. 27 During the first round of assessment of the project in July this year, the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) had asked the state government to respond to the suggestions made by the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) on reducing the number of trees proposed to be felled for the project as well as the observations made by the deputy inspector general of forests, MoEF&CC regional office. Meanwhile, the NBWL standing committee has asked a committee comprising its two independent members to visit the project site and submit a report.
Cumulative Impact Assessment and Carrying Capacity Study of hydro projects on River Yamuna, Tons & its tributaries Himalaya Advocacy Centre through RTI has accessed (Volume I & Volume II). which can be seen on its website (). In its 33rd Meeting held on 17th June, 2025, the Expert Appraisal Committee on River Valley and Hydroelectric Projects recommended that this study be accepted by the MoEF for “further consideration and integration into planning and regulatory decision-making.”
DAMS
Why Adivasis are opposing Panchet Dam floating solar project On Sept. 7, a few hundred fishers, mostly Adivasis, participated in a bike rally to protest a proposed floating solar power project on the Panchet dam. It is a 66-year-old multipurpose project on the river Damodar, along the border of W Bengal and Jharkhand. The fishers staged a demonstration, shouting slogans like “DVC Murdabaad” (down with DVC-Damodar Valley Corporation), “DVC hosiayar” (beware), and “solar project bandh karo” (scrap the solar project).
A floating solar power projects of 105 MW capacity have already been awarded for development on the Panchet reservoir. A similar or higher capacity is awaiting the tender process. Fishers who have been relying on the dam’s waters for their livelihoods say that nearly 1,500 families would not only lose their livelihoods but also their primary source of affordable nutrition, solely due to the first phase of the project.
In its 2022-’23 annual report, the DVC stated that it had received approval from the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to establish floating solar parks with a capacity of 989MW at its dams under the Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Parks Scheme. A Joint Venture company named Green Valley Renewable Energy Ltd was formed, with an equity participation of 49% by DVC and 51% by NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd.
Fishers in western India’s Maharashtra have been protesting a 1,200 MW floating solar project in Nathsagar reservoir of the Jayakwadi dam. In western India’s Gujarat, fishers are protesting a proposed 1,500 MW floating solar project on Ukai reservoir, the largest reservoir in the state – commissioned over the River Tapi. In MP, fishers who depended on the Omkareshwar dam’s reservoir for livelihood have reported loss of income after implementation of 278 MW floating solar project there.
Protest against Lakhwar dam Demanding compensation and employment locals have started a protest against Lakhwar dam on Yamuna river in Uttarakhand.
Comprehensive Dam Catchment Attributes for Dam Safety Studies in India ABSTRACT: The Indian subcontinent has around 5715 dams across different rivers. This study develops a dataset of catchment attributes for 5715 dams over the Indian subcontinent using observed, reanalysis, and remote sensing data. The dam dataset consists of six major attributes, including topography, climate, geology and groundwater, soil, LULC, and human-induced activities. Using the 30-m SRTM data, the paper delineated the watershed for each dam using the automatic outlet relocation algorithm and estimated various topographic attributes for each catchment. It developed geological, soil, and LULC attributes for each dam catchment, considering existing global and regional datasets. The paper also included human-induced activities datasets for each dam catchment, which can be useful in studying the impact of human activities on dam safety and water resources. Overall, the dataset can be used to conduct various scientific studies, dam safety analyses, and impact studies on Indian dams.
Relevant Agenda of FAC meeting to be held on Oct 27 2025 – DIVERSION OF 54.155 HA OF FOREST LAND IN VILLAGES OF SAGAR, SHIVAMOGGA WILDLIFE AND HONNAVARA DIVISIONS FOR HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT- SHARAVATHY PUMPED STORAGE-2000 MW of KARNATAKA POWER CORP LTD, BENGALURU
– DIVERSION OF 111.0277 HA (ORIGINALLY PROPOSED AREA 173.3105 HA) OF FOREST LAND FROM CH 000+00 TO 261.690 KM IN HASSAN AND TUMKUR DISTRICT FOR GRAVITY CANAL UNDER YETTINAHOLE DRINKING WATER PROJECT FROM VISVESVARAYA JALA NIGAM LTD
– DIVERSION OF 2250.05 HA (INSTEAD OF 2272.05 HA) FOREST LAND FOR MORAND – GANJAL IRRIGATION PROJECT IN HOSHANGABAD, BETUL, HARDA AND KHANDWA DISTS OF MADHYA PRADESH IN FAVOUR OF NVDA
Agenda of EAC meeting of River Valley Projects to be held on Oct 31 2025 – Adnadi Close Loop Pumped Storage (1500 MW) in 240.61Ha at Village Adnadi, Bhandri, Jambli, etc, Sub-district Chikhaldara, District Amravati, Maharashtra by Adani Hydro Energy Ten Limited – Terms of References
– Gond Major Irrigation Project (10 MW & CCA of 33,015 ha) in 1088.57 Ha at Village Siroli, Sikra, Bakwa, Bhadaili, etc, Sub-District Majhauli, Kusmi and Deosar, District Singrauli and Sidhi, Madhya Pradesh by Water Resource Dept, Madhya Pradesh – Amendment in Terms of References
– Mudghusri Close Loop Pumped Storage (1000 MW) in 307 Ha at Village Murghusri & Reserved Forest, Sub-district Bodla, District Kabeerdham, Chhattisgarh by M/s Renew Vidyut Tej Private Limited – Terms of References
Decisions of EAC Meeting on River Valley Projects held on Oct 13 2025: – Saidongar 1 – Karjat Open Loop Pumped Storage Project (3000 MW) in 377 Ha at Village Potal, Saidongar, Ambot, etc, Sub District Karjat, District Raigarh, Maharashtra by Torrent Psh 3 Pvt Ltd- Environmental Clearance: APPROVED
– Sitapur-Hanumana Micro Irrigation Project (CCA: 1,29,060 Ha) at Village Hatwa, Murtiha, Orani, Etc, Sub-District Hanumana, Sihawal, Chitrangi, Gopadbanas, etc, District Rewa, Sidhi, Singrauli, Mirzapur, Prayagraj and Sonbhadra, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh by M/s Naigarhi Micro Irrigation Project, Division- Rewa, MP – Terms of Reference: Approved
– Bargi Open Pumped Storage Hydro Project (1000 MW) at Village Pindrai Mal. (Sahajpuri), Salaiya Mal.(Barangada), Jamthar, Khapa, Newari And Pondi, Sub- District Narayanganj, District Mandla, Madhya Pradesh by M/s Serentica Renewables India 21 Private Limited – Terms of Reference: Deferred
RIVERS
Book Review Liquid Empire: Water and Power in the Colonial World by Corey Ross.
Princeton, 447 pp., £35, September 2024
In Praise of Floods: The Untamed River and the Life It Brings by James C. Scott.
Yale, 220 pp., £20, February 2025
Corey Ross, in Liquid Empire, cites the presence of brown trout in Kashmir as an example of the way in which, after the 19th century, the environmental scope of colonialism extended beyond land to take in rivers, lakes, coasts and oceans. Aquatic biota, like their terrestrial counterparts, became increasingly standardised and engineered for European pleasure and profit.
The conversion of the Sundarbans mangrove forests to taxable agricultural land – instrumental to the ‘permanent settlement’ of Bengal – left recently established coastal communities exposed to cyclones: in 1876, 215,000 people died in a storm in the Meghna estuary.
No less ambitious, but far more effective, was the irrigation of the Punjab under the Raj. In the 19th century, the British had regarded the region as a vast scrubland of little concern. It had no resources of economic value and its only inhabitants were nomadic herders or, even more intermittently, invading Baloch and Pashtun tribes. Between 1880 and 1940, colonial engineers harnessed the five tributaries of the Indus, which ran through the region, to construct a hydrological infrastructure of unprecedented scale, making ten million acres of ‘waste land’ suitable for settlement and cultivation. Nine planned canal colonies sprang up around the Punjab, populated by more than a million peasant migrants or pastoralists who had been forcibly domesticated. The landscape was transformed into what the historian Neeladri Bhattacharya called a ‘regime of squares’: each new village was flanked by pillars marking out a grid of squares of 27.7 acres each, which were then further subdivided into 25 equal plots. Each of these was designated a ‘killa’; the process of enclosure became known as ‘killabandi’.
This hyper-rational approach allowed the British to regulate the distribution of water, and to control not just the organisation of space but its occupation. One official, James Douie, explained that his job was to ‘weed out’ undesirable migrants: ‘dotards and mere boys’, ‘village loafers’, ‘the physically and mentally unfit’. From a military and economic perspective, the canal colonies worked. Insubordinate nomads, robbed of their grazing pastures, were forced to settle in the new townships, while the permanent supply of water transformed desert scrub into fields of wheat and cotton. By the 1940s the Punjab was recognised as the ‘breadbasket’ of the Raj, and generated more tax revenue than any other Indian province.
The canal colonies were hardly an unmitigated success. Malaria and cholera epidemics were frequent. Canals seeped into waterlogged killas. Nomads who resisted settlement poisoned the livestock of newly arrived peasants, burned their crops and invaded their fields with cattle. Having been lured by British promises of lands ‘overflowing with milk and honey’, the first generation of immigrants arrived to a still barren grid of half-dug canals, pestilence and the hostility of displaced locals. The anger of the new arrivals erupted in 1907, when thousands of zamindars launched a protest against the colonial government which soon fused with broader movements for land reform and self-rule. Even the British expressed a modicum of guilt about their transformation of the Punjab. A Canal Colonies Report of 1933 lamented the replacement of the ‘goat herd’s pipe and the quavering love-song of the camel men’ with ‘the klaxon of the motor-lorry’; ‘the nomad himself,’ the report continued, ‘has been pegged out, Prometheus-like on his 25 killas, while the vultures of civilisation bury their ravenous beaks in his vitals.’ Bhattacharya calls this the ‘pathos of development’ and argues that it was one of the most enduring legacies of improvement projects. Having claimed mastery over water, and fixed people to the land, the colonial imagination yearned for pristine nature and pastoral freedom.
Like most recent histories of attempts to re-engineer the natural world, Liquid Empire wrestles with the legacy of the American political scientist James C. Scott, who died last year. In Seeing like a State (1998), Scott produced the kind of sweeping account of modernity that gives other scholars something to argue with. Drawing on case studies that ranged from 18th-century Prussian forestry to agrarian reforms in the Soviet Union and Tanzania and urban planning in Brazil and India, Scott developed a theory of ‘high modernist’ state power which, through cadastral surveys and monocrops and grands boulevards, tried to impose order on society and nature, and in doing so destroyed everything that made them function. The book was in many respects the culmination of what Scott later described, with some qualification, as an ‘anarchist’ research agenda which had begun with his work on the resistance strategies and moral economies of South-East Asian peasants. For critics, it suggested a worldview that was more romantic and libertarian than anarchist (the anthropologist Fernando Coronil titled his review of the book ‘Smelling Like a Market’). But it also signalled an environmental turn in Scott’s work that continued with his final two books, Against the Grain (2017), on the agrarian origins of coercive city-states, and In Praise of Floods, a posthumously published essay on rivers and the deep history of civilisation’s doomed attempt ‘to manage the unruly natural world’.
Against the anthropocentric logics of sedentism and statecraft, Scott imagines an ‘all-species riverine democracy’: he stages a ‘town meeting’ in which the snow carp, the hairy-nosed otter and the Ayeyarwady river dolphin make the case for floods, and condemn the ‘world-historic land and water grab in which a single species has seized an entire landscape from its indigenous inhabitants and unilaterally colonised it’… Like much of Scott’s later work, In Praise of Floods is often self-consciously provocative and deliberately reductive. He concedes, begrudgingly, that river engineering has brought some benefits – to health, agriculture and navigation – but argues that its main legacy has been ‘iatrogenic’ disorders: the erasure of wetlands, the loss of habitats, the extinction of species and the increasing likelihood of destructive floods. There is a certain charm to Scott’s attempt to give voice to non-human species…
Ross is judicious on the matter of whether the hunger for the planet’s resources over the last fifty years can be attributed entirely to the legacies of imperialism. ‘In the wake of decolonisation,’ he writes, ‘hydraulic interventions generally intensified rather than subsided.’ In India, for instance, around four thousand dams were built between 1947 and 2000. The ‘dam fever’ that swept through Asia and Africa, especially in the 1960s and 1970s, was funded by Western investment, enabled by institutions inherited from colonial regimes and shaped by an ‘imperial view of nature as something to be conquered and remade to serve human ends’. Yet such water projects were embraced by postcolonial leaders. For Nasser, the Aswan High Dam was a ‘symbol of moral struggle, a symbol of the abolition of imperialism’. Nehru referred to his government’s massive hydraulic projects – Bhakra Nangal in Punjab, the Hirakud Dam in Odisha, the Damodar Valley project in West Bengal – as ‘the temples of new India’.
Hydropower was a cornerstone of newly won sovereignty, not because of a pent-up Neolithic urge to conquer the watershed, but because it was considered essential to securing autonomy and self-determination. The new dams were no less ecologically disruptive, however. The world’s 58,000 large dams are now recognised as a major driver of climate change. Their reservoirs emit methane, especially in tropical regions, as the organic matter in the areas flooded to create them breaks down, and cumulatively they have interrupted a sixth of annual river flows, preventing the cycling of nutrients into the sea and undermining the food webs of carbon-sequestering phytoplankton. In other words, technological lock-in has gone global, and the best we can hope for is planned chaos on a planetary scale.
River Systems & Science in India: Major Drivers and Challenges In India, amongst other issues, surface runoff and stream flow and discharge patterns of both the Himalayan and the peninsular rivers need detailed rigorous scientific studies. Rigorous analysis of the discharge data of the past few decades of the large river systems of our country are required to build reliable time series that can be used for an improved forecasting of the future discharge trends of these systems.
Management of treated wastewater & flood water in Lower Thamirabarani sub-basin Abstract This study provides an innovative framework for integrating advanced spatial analysis and machine learning models in water resource planning. The findings support evidence-based decision-making for sustainable water management, helping mitigate flood risks and improve water quality. The proposed approach serves as a model for similar regions facing water security challenges, promoting environmental sustainability and efficient resource utilization in rapidly urbanizing watersheds.
Evaluating flash flood impact on Alaknanda water quality This study provides critical insights into the vulnerabilities of water systems to extreme weather events and underscores the need for robust flood management strategies to ensure potable water during monsoons. These findings contribute to developing resilient water resource management practices in flood-prone Himalayan regions.
Bihar’s ₹3,900-Cr Ganga Clean-Up project fails the test Of the 13 newly installed STPs in Bihar by October 2024, PM Modi personally inaugurated seven last year, according to the Ministry of Jal Shakti’s 2024–25 annual report. These seven plants, along with the interception and diversion networks essential for their operation, cost taxpayers over Rs 2,100 crore.
But multiple inspections and assessments carried out by the NMCG and the Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) into the functioning of the STPs revealed three key problems: some of the sewage treatment plants were non-functional; all functional ones were not performing at maximum capacity; and some were performing below capacity while also violating standards. (Akshay Deshmane)
केवल सफाई नहीं, चाहिए समग्र यमुना नदी तंत्र संरक्षण नीति सरकारें हैं, जो एक तरफ नदी सफाई पर करोड़ों रूपये लगा रही है और दूसरी तरफ उससे कई गुना अधिक धनराशि नदी से जल दोहन की बांध, बैराज जैसी योजनाओं पर खर्च कर रही हैं। जिसका नतीजा है कि आज नदी का हिमालयी हिस्सा बांधों में कैद है, दूसरा मैदानी हिस्सा प्रवाह विहीन है, तीसरा दिल्ली-आगरा का हिस्सा अत्यंत प्रदूषित है और चौथा हिस्सा इटावा-प्रयागराज जो अपेक्षाकृत ठीक है अब केन-बेतवा और पार्वती-कालीसिंध-चम्बल जैसी बड़ी नदी जोड़ परियोजनाओं के चलते संकटग्रस्त हो गया है।
मुख्य समस्या यही है कि सरकारी योजनाकारों की नदी जल दोहन और सफाई दोनों योजनाओं की दिशा और लक्ष्य परस्पर विरोधी हैं। अतः इस विसंगति को जल्द दुरुस्त करना बहुत जरूरी है। बिना नदी को बारामासी प्रवाहमान बनाए साफ़ और निर्मल बनाना सम्भव नहीं है। इसमें केंद्र सरकार की भूमिका ज्यादा और आवश्यक है पर अब तक के प्रयासों में ये नदारद है।
Delhi HC enhances compensation for floodplain land acquisition after 32 years The Delhi High Court recently enhanced the compensation for land acquisition payable with respect to flood-prone Kilokari, Nangli Razapur, Khizrabad and Garhi Mendu areas of the national capital. In doing so, Justice Tara Vitasta Ganju in her 171-page order observed that the potentiality of these areas has to be seen not from actual use but to what use they can be put in foreseeable future. For context, the Union government sought to acquire the land for channelisation of river Yamuna. A notification in this regard was issued under the Land Acquisition Act 1894 back in 1989. Awards were passed between 1992-93. Case title: Bed Ram v. UoI & Anr. Case no.: LA.APP. 59/2007
Floods expose cracks in Yamuna rejuvenation projects The recent floods that engulfed the Yamuna floodplains in Delhi have reignited debate over how the city manages its most vital natural asset. Environmental experts and the river advocacy body South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) are demanding accountability from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) after crores of rupees spent on so-called rejuvenation projects were wiped out in the deluge. What was projected as an ambitious ecological restoration drive has, in the wake of the 2025 floods, been exposed as a glaring example of poor planning, disregard for hydrology, and misuse of public funds.
Floodplains get flattened to construct Chhath ghats Bulldozers, earthmovers employed to fell trees, lay roads, and carry out soil compaction across the Yamuna’s floodplains; action violates NGT orders, amounts to ecological destruction, say experts. Environmental activist Bhavreen Kandhari termed the activity a “clear violation”. “The floodplains are meant to be left untouched and protected. Whatever is happening is a clear breach of existing laws and an act of ecological destruction,” she said.
Flows increased in river for Chhath: Strangely without any official information in public domain canal operation were shut at Hathnikund Barrage (HKB) and all inflows were discharged in the river from 17:00 hour Oct. 21 to 18:00 hour Oct. 25. For about 98 hours the river on an average received about 7000 cusecs hourly discharge from the barrage. The has helped in dilution of pollution in Delhi stretch. The canal has been opened now but bulk of inflows is still going in the river.
Haryana releases more water for Chhath Environmental experts say higher water flow helps flush out pollutants. However, they questioned the timing and opacity of the decision. “It’s quite unusual to see both canal operations stopped post-monsoon. The river has been receiving an average of 7,400 cusecs per hour from Hathnikund for over 40 hours now. Such a move, especially involving the Western Yamuna Canal, which supplies Delhi’s drinking water, is rare,” said Bhim Singh Rawat, a Yamuna activist and member of the SANDRP.
Rawat pointed out that neither the Haryana nor Delhi govt made any announcement regarding the decision. “Citizens are in the dark about how and why the canals were shut. This kind of administrative opacity doesn’t bode well for river governance,” he said. The Yamuna needs ecological flows during the lean season, but such steps should be coordinated and transparent, Rawat added.
Experts have long pushed for a higher environmental flow for the Yamuna to support its ecology. A 2019 study by the NIH recommended an e-flow of 23 cumecs, more than double of what it is now. Delhi Pollution Control Committee had suggested that 390 cumecs would be needed for the river to meet bathing standards.
Experts say sustained e-flows, rather than festival-driven releases, are vital for maintaining that improvement. “This episode shows that Yamuna basin govts can restore ecological flows if they choose to. But these efforts must go beyond short-term optics around festivals,” Rawat said, urging the ministry of jal shakti to notify and implement the 23-cumec e-flow standard recommended in 2019. He also suggested that authorities regulate discharge from major drains during the festive period to protect devotees performing rituals near the river.
Chhath returns amid pollution debate Still, environmentalists are unconvinced. Bhim Singh Rawat of SANDRP, said the water still has loads of pollutants and exposure to it can result in several health-related issues. “Given the pollution loads reaching the river from three major drains in Haryana upstream Delhi and 22 drains within the national capital, the flows would not make the river water quality fit for bathing or swimming category,” said Rawat.
“Exposure to toxic contaminants would certainly have adverse health impacts on devotees in the form of skin rashes, allergies, itching, eye ailments and gastrointestinal complications,” Rawat added. Rawat said that since October 21, the river’s flow has risen to over 7,000 cusecs – an unusual post-monsoon surge. “This may help the ecosystem temporarily, but the decision seems ad hoc. There’s no clarity on why or how this much water was released. It sets a dangerous precedent for river governance – where flows can be stopped or started at will, without transparency or accountability.”
Environmental volunteer Pankaj Kumar of Team Earth Warrior said the quality of water in the river is so bad that it is not fit for bathing, and the government’s decision to allow the celebration in the river could spark a health crisis.
More water to clean river for Chhath A senior official from the Haryana Irrigation Department said water will be diverted “for three to four days” to help ensure cleaner water in the Yamuna during the festival. “The water from Bhakra Dam is sufficient, and there is no shortage at present. The pond is filled up, and the demand for drinking water is being met. There is also no agricultural demand right now, which has allowed this diversion,” the official said.
He added that although no written directive was issued, an internal action plan was formulated in consultation with Delhi government officials. “Haryana is trying to manage its own water requirements from its share, while helping Delhi ensure that people can celebrate Chhath safely along the riverbanks,” the official said, adding: “If there is no clean water, then lakhs of people who perform the rituals in the Yamuna are affected…Haryana is really making a sacrifice.”
Officials maintained that the current step has not created any shortage since canal-fed water treatment plants in Delhi — including those at Haiderpur, Bhawana and Nangloi — are receiving sufficient supply from the Bhakra system. However, this would affect hydropower production, experts pointed out.
Bhim Singh Rawat from the SANDRP said the move should have followed a formal consultation process. “These decisions affect hydropower generation and water supply in Haryana villages. If the government can increase the river’s flow for Chhath, why not for maintaining environmental flow through the year?” he said. Rawat pointed out that last year, despite a cleaner spell of monsoon and no major floods, the river’s condition during Chhath was far worse. “This shows the absence of a long-term river governance policy. Ecological flows shouldn’t be linked only to festivals … fluctuating levels make it harder for aquatic systems to adapt, especially during lean summer months,” he said.
Why this year’s Chhath Puja is different in Delhi Experts, however, have raised concerns over the impact of large-scale Chhath preparations on the river and public health. Bhim Singh Rawat of the SANDRP, pointed out that the use of earthmovers and large machinery along the Yamuna’s banks is causing further damage. The riverbed soil is naturally soft and spongy, but by trying to harden it for temporary structures, we are disrupting water percolation and uplifting silt that ultimately flows back into the river. This… will be counterproductive to the large-scale desilting drives by the Delhi government…”
As per the January 2015 NGT judgment in Manoj Misra vs Union of India, “construction of new bunds, roads and guide bunds, widening of existing bunds, spurs and guide bunds within the active floodplains should be stopped and banned.” It has also said: “No filling of the floodplain/riverbeds be allowed in the name of development and renovation of ghats.”
He added, “Instead of encouraging massive gatherings right at the riverbank, local administrations should create artificial ponds for rituals. If the government and citizens truly care for the river and their own health, they must stop altering the natural riverscape.”
Pankaj Kumar, a Yamuna activist, said, “The bathing standards are met only in Palla and in no other location, as per the latest DPCC report… We (the government) are inviting a health crisis…” Rawat also said even organic puja materials can harm the river’s health, as their decomposition consumes oxygen in an ecosystem already lacking adequate dissolved oxygen levels. “When such waste enters the river, it deprives aquatic life of oxygen and causes severe downstream impacts, including foul odour.”
Pollution levels surge again Delhi Pollution Control Committee’s monthly analysis for Oct shows a sharp rise in pollution levels compared to Sept, a month when the Yamuna was the cleanest in the recorded history due to the strong flow flushing the effluents out. The samples were collected on Oct 9. Experts stress the need for long-term solutions, including tapping untreated drains, reducing sewage discharge and ensuring a minimum environmental flow in the Yamuna throughout the year, to prevent the cycle of frothing and pollution resurgence.
According to Bhim Singh Rawat, SANDRP, “It will help the river by recharging the saturated aquifers, providing a fresh lease of life to stressed aquatic life and checking the excessive mechanised sand mining.” These steps will help the stretch in Delhi regain flowing condition, diluting the pollution to a great extent, he added. “Still, the river water would not be fit for bathing or swimming, let alone sipping. To improve it further, govt should regulate the major drains and increase discharges from the Wazirabad barrage,” Rawat emphasised.
Yamuna flow boosted ahead of Chhath Bhim Singh Rawat, associate coordinator at the SANDRP, said, “The release of water into the river is a welcome move, but the government should find a way to increase the flow in the Yamuna throughout the year to revive the river.”
Water inflow upped to flush river Experts welcomed the increased flow into the river, but questioned the timing. “Although a good move, it should be done more regularly so that Yamuna’s e-flow stays high even in the lean season. The data is quite clear though. The canals are not receiving any water since 5pm on Oct. 21, which if continues this way, is also worrying as the water diverted particularly towards Haryana is important for irrigation,” said Rawat.
FC contamination declined by 90%: Parvesh With just two days left for Chhath Puja and the administration gearing up to welcome thousands of devotees on the banks of the Yamuna river for rituals and holy dip, Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh on Oct. 25 said the Delhi government’s efforts to clean the river in the past seven months paid off as the faecal coliform or human waste contamination levels dropped drastically compared with last year. “According to the latest report by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), there has been 90% reduction in faecal coliform levels in the Yamuna compared with 2024. Four of the eight sampling points are now within or very close to the permissible limit of 2,500 MPN/100 ml – a milestone never achieved before in such a short time,” Mr. Singh said.
Govt to deploy dredging machine from Finland Water minister Parvesh Verma on Oct. 22 said that a state-of-the-art dredging machine from Finland will arrive in the Capital by December to aid in the desilting and dredging of Yamuna and the Najafgarh drain. Sharing a demonstration video on social media, Verma said the equipment, a Watermaster Classic IV, will be used to augment the Yamuna cleaning efforts and enhance the river’s water-carrying capacity.
Cruise service by Nov last week The Delhi govt is firming up preparations to launch its ambitious Yamuna cruise project by the last week of November as part of its efforts to rejuvenate the river and enhance recreational activities along its banks, officials said on Tuesday. The proposed cruise service, between Sonia Vihar and Jagatpur, will be a significant tourism attraction in the city, they said.
RIVERS BIODIVERSITY
Conservation of India’s freshwater megafauna Highlights: -First study to assess India’s freshwater megafauna (IFM) as a collective. Text mining reveals research-policy misalignment in IFM conservation. Mega-fishes dominate research but lack policy attention; mammals/reptiles are understudied. Critical gaps exist in climate change, hydrology, and habitat fragmentation research. Findings offer globally relevant insights for freshwater megafauna conservation.
FISH, FISHERIES, FISHERFOLKS
Floating solar projects test India’s just transition promise Fishers are protesting against the Damodar Valley Corporation’s planned Floating Solar Project on the Panchet dam along the West Bengal-Jharkhand border in eastern India. Protesters allege that about 1,500 families would not only lose their livelihood but also lose an affordable source of nutrition. Mega floating solar photovoltaic projects on dam reservoirs have previously triggered controversies in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat, with loss of livelihood and impact on the water ecosystem being primary concerns.
Freshwater fish biodiversity in Ganga We documented and described 143 freshwater fish species in the all stretches of the river which is higher than what was reported earlier. Some species were observed with shift in their distribution ranges. First time, a total of 10 exotic fishes, including Pterygoplichthys anisitsi, which has never been reported from India found in the Ganges. Alterations of the hydrological pattern due to various types of hydro projects was seems to be the largest threat to fishes of Ganges. Indiscriminate and illegal fishing, pollution, water abstraction, siltation and invasion of exotic species are also threatening the fish diversity in the Ganges and as many as 29 species are listed under threatened category. The study advocates a need to identify critical fish habitats in the Ganga basin to declare them as conservation reserves to mitigate the loss of fish diversity from this mighty large river.
Unusual Fossil Discovery Rewrites the History of Freshwater Fish New research finds that ocean-dwelling fish entered freshwater environments on several occasions, evolving enhanced hearing abilities in the process.
SAND MINING
Quantifying suspended sediment dynamics & morphological impacts due to sand mining in Narmada We conclude that the accelerated rate of sand mining has led to the degradation and progressive incision of the riverbed, increasing the overall channel area, flow velocity, and conveyance capacity of the river. This likely led to an increase in the erosive power of the river and its discharge, which subsequently contributed to rise in severity and frequency of floods in the study reach.
Sand Satyagraha launched on Baitarani river In a strong call for environmental protection and community awareness, a “Sand Satyagraha” campaign was launched along the Baitarani River under Anandpur block in Keonjhar district, aiming to highlight the rampant issue of illegal sand extraction. The peaceful protest sought to draw attention to the environmental degradation and social hardships caused by unchecked sand mining along the riverbanks.
The campaign was led by Yajna Prasad Sahu, President of the Keonjhar Anti-Corruption Progressive Forum, and saw participation from several social activists, including Satyabrata Jena and Daitari Mahakud. Participants staged a symbolic protest by sitting on the river sand, holding flag cards to spread awareness among the public about the need to protect natural resources and preserve the ecological balance of the Baitarani.
Satyagraha against illegal sand mining The Baitarani River is considered the lifeline of Keonjhar district, providing water for domestic use, farming, and local ecosystems. Residents of Anandapur in Keonjhar district on Oct. 24 staged a Satyagraha, opposing the alleged illegal sand mining from various ghats of the Baitarani River. The demonstration took place at the Kargola sand ghat in Nandipada police limits, where people held placards and raised slogans against sand mafias involved in illicit operations.
The protest drew participation from several members of the Keonjhar Anti-Corruption Progressive Forum, including its president Yajna Prasad Sahu. Locals allege that these sand mafias have been constructing unauthorised sand ghats and transporting hundreds of truckloads of sand every day. This illegal activity has caused serious disruptions to village connectivity due to heavy traffic and has affected water levels in downstream coastal areas, threatening both agriculture and livelihoods, the protesters alleged.
Illegal mining a threat to people Residents allege that the unchecked operations by sand mafia are not only damaging agricultural lands but also destroying vital rural infrastructure. According to local sources, sand is being extracted illegally from the Kusei riverbed and transported using heavily loaded tractors and trucks. This illegal transportation has been ongoing for months, with little to no administrative intervention.
Farmers report that the illegal mining has eroded fertile soil and rendered their farmland unfit for cultivation, directly impacting their livelihoods. Furthermore, the movement of sand-laden vehicles through narrow village roads has deteriorated the condition of rural roads, making them nearly unusable. Residents, especially the elderly and school-going children, are finding it increasingly difficult to travel due to the poor condition of the pathways. Residents, especially the elderly and school-going children, are finding it increasingly difficult to travel due to the poor condition of the pathways.
Villagers protest illegal sand mining A group of villagers also met former CM Naveen Patnaik over the issue. “Despite protests, the administration has failed to stop it,” said Jagyan Prasad Sahu, an activist. Illegal sand extraction is rampant in rivers Baitarani and Kusei in Anandpur sub-division. Sub-collector , Anandpur, Nilamadhab Suna said the administration is taking steps against illegal sand smuggling.
Illegal sand mining leads to violent clash in Jaleswar Two individuals were critically injured on Oct. 04 night during a violent confrontation between local residents and sand mafia operatives near the Subarnarekha River in Balasore district’s Jaleswar. The injured have been admitted to Jaleswar Hospital, where they are receiving intensive care. According to sources, the clash occurred late at night when villagers attempted to stop the illegal extraction of sand from the river. The sand mafia, reportedly operating under the cover of darkness, was carrying out unauthorized mining at multiple locations along the Subarnarekha river.
Kashmir: Mining resumes despite ban Locals and activists urge authorities to halt extraction from Doodh Ganga, citing legal violations and environmental risks.
Sand prices plunge 30% in Punjab Sand that was selling for Rs 90-95 per quintal a fortnight ago is now available for Rs 60-62 in the retail market, while wholesale prices have dropped from Rs 75-80 to Rs 45-47 per quintal. Most of the sand reaching the Faridkot area is being sourced from flood-affected districts such as Fazilka, Ferozepur and Moga.
Under the “Jihda Khet, Usdi Ret” campaign, flood-hit landowners are allowed to lift or de-silt sand and river material from their agricultural land without obtaining any permit or NOC. The district administrations have notified several villages near the Sutlej river, including 29 in Moga’s Dharamkot area, for this purpose. The exemption, meant solely for land restoration, will remain valid until December 31.
Moga Deputy Commissioner Sagar Setia clarified that the relaxation is only for rehabilitating farmlands and not for commercial mining. He warned landowners against damaging the original field surface or creating trenches during sand removal. However, authorities have detected misuse of the scheme. The Mining Department and Moga police on Oct. 26 found that some individuals were exploiting the relaxation to carry out illegal sand mining under the guise of land restoration.
WETLANDS, LAKES, WATER BODIES
Kerala Study calls for urgent conservation as wetlands shrink Kerala’s wetlands, a lifeline for biodiversity and livelihoods, have witnessed a slight decline of 58 hectares between 2019 and 2024, according to a new geospatial study that assessed temporal changes using multi-date satellite data.
Andhra to conserve 16 key wetlands: Pawan Kalyan Forest & Environment Minister Pawan Kalyan noted that the wetlands identified include areas in Sompeta and Taveti mandals, which will be developed into a sprawling eco-tourism corridor spanning thousands of acres. Special bird conservation centres are also planned in Veerapuram and the sacred sites of Rajahmundry to protect rare species and attract tourists.
Mr. Kalyan said the State has 23,450 wetlands, of which 99.3% have completed digital boundary mapping. The remaining physical demarcation is expected to be finished by October 28, through coordinated efforts by the Forest, Revenue, and Survey Departments. Proposals have also been submitted to establish the Kolleru Lake Management Authority for international Ramsar recognition, with plans to pursue similar recognition for other wetlands.
Over 22,500 ha of land taken up for mangrove restoration The Union government has taken up about 22,560 hectares of land to restore and conserve mangroves under the Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) initiative over the past two years. While 19,220 hectares of land under MISTHI scheme has been taken up in Gujarat, only 10 hectares of mangrove plantation has been taken up in West Bengal which accounts for about 42% of mangrove cover in country.
GROUNDWATER
Karnataka’s Groundwater: Unsafe tomorrow? Data from department of minor irrigation shows that Kolar (193.35%), Bengaluru Urban (186.7%) and Chikkaballapura (164.33%) are among the most overexploited districts in the country. Bengaluru Rural (147.05%) and Chitradurga (144.44%) also fall in “overexploited” category. Similarly, under Atal Bhujal Yojana, Karnataka leads India with coverage across 1,199 water-stressed gram panchayats in 14 districts, backed by Rs 1,201 crore in investments. More than 24,000 recharge structures have been built, helping restore 2,14,000 hectares from desertification. The scheme has recorded an average 13.21m rise in groundwater levels in 347 gram panchayats.
Between 2022 and 2024, 150 taluks recorded an average 10m improvement in groundwater levels, followed by 70 taluks showing 5m improvement. Notably, six overexploited, four critical, and 10 semi-critical taluks have been downgraded to safer categories, indicating aquifer recovery. Minor irrigation department has constructed 8,342 water conservation structures and maintained 3,787 tanks, conserving 126 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water. Together, with 472 lift irrigation schemes, these efforts have rejuvenated 1,318 lakes and created an irrigated area of nearly 97,600 hectares.
Despite these gains, experts warn that recovery is fragile. Much of the improvement comes from artificial recharge and reuse schemes, which are energy- and infrastructure-intensive. They depend on continued funding, proper maintenance and community participation. Moreover, local groundwater improvements are often offset by unsustainable pumping. Without stronger regulation, digital monitoring and groundwater literacy, Karnataka’s “safe” status could quickly deteriorate.
Karnataka govt to levy groundwater extraction charges The state govt has decided to impose charges ranging from Re 1 to Rs 35 per cubic metre on individuals, housing societies, commercial establishments, industries, and mining operators drawing groundwater across the state. The charges will apply to all types of apartment complexes, group housing societies, and even govt agencies supplying water in urban areas. Commercial and mining users will also fall under the ambit of the new regulations.
In addition, the govt has made it mandatory for all residential and commercial property owners to obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) before digging borewells or extracting groundwater. While the 2011 and 2012 Karnataka Groundwater Regulations allowed NOCs water extraction, they did not include charges or cover tanker suppliers.
Scientists call for smarter groundwater management in Telangana Although the State receives an average annual rainfall of 960 mm, only about 10–15% contributes to groundwater recharge due to geological formations, land use and land cover patterns, and erratic rainfall – all of which result in a non-uniform and heterogeneous recharge scenario.
In a joint study, scientists found that the average annual groundwater recharge in Telangana is approximately 14.3 billion cubic metres (bcm). Of this, around 11.36 bcm is attributed to primary recharge from rainfall, while the remaining 3 bcm comes from secondary sources such as seepage from surface water bodies and return flow from irrigated fields.
Interestingly, the study found that even with ample rainfall in two consecutive years, recharge levels were significantly lower in the second year. Conversely, a drought year followed by favorable rainfall tends to result in increased recharge.
URBAN LAKES, WETLANDS
‘Officials colluded to clear real estate project inside Pallikaranai marshland’ Anti-corruption NGO Arappor Iyakkam has alleged that various government departments in Tamil Nadu colluded to grant illegal permissions for a massive real estate project inside the ecologically sensitive Pallikaranai marshland Ramsar site. In a complaint to CM MK Stalin, the Director of the Department of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, and others on October 23, Arappor alleged that the real estate and property development company Brigade Enterprises was granted permissions in violation of rules.
Arappor has demanded an investigation into officials of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), the State Forest Department, the State Level Expert Appraisal Committee, and the State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SLEIAA) responsible for assessing environmental clearance applications. The complaint put forward five demands, including the immediate cancellation of environmental clearance and plan approval for the project. Arappor has also demanded that all lands within the Ramsar site of Pallikaranai marshland be immediately reclaimed and restored.
A 3,081-acre area under the Pallikaranai marshland had been declared a Ramsar site in April 2022, with 1,705 acres handed over to the state forest department. However, 1,375 acres had already been taken over by various private and government entities. Construction cannot be undertaken inside a Ramsar site or within one kilometre of its boundary, and environmental clearance cannot be granted for such projects as per the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017.
Realty firm granted clearance to build 1,250 flats The NGO’s allegations pertain to the permission given to the project named Brigade Morgan Heights coming up on the Perumbakkam main road. The firm began the process of applying for environmental clearance in August 2022, three months after 1,247 hectares of Pallikaranai marshland was notified as a Ramsar site. Construction inside a designated Ramsar site is barred under Section 4 of Wetland Conservation and Management Rules, 2017. The State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) issued environmental clearance for the project on January 20, 2025, and the CMDA gave its nod for the plan on January 23, 2025.
Delhi: 6 of forest dept’s 28 waterbodies encroached The forest department, in its latest report uploaded on Oct. 26, said it manages 28 water bodies — 21 in the south division, three in west, and two each in the central and north divisions. Out of the 28 water bodies under the Delhi forest department’s jurisdiction, six are found to be encroached and not present on the ground, the department told the NGT.
The tribunal had taken suo motu cognisance of a media report last year, flagging missing water bodies in the Capital. In its order issued on February 14, the NGT had directed all agencies, including the forest department, to disclose the current status and area of water bodies under their management as well as steps taken to remove encroachments and restore them. The forest department, in its latest report, said it manages 28 water bodies — 21 in the south division, three in west, and two each in the central and north divisions.
The history of EKW Environmental-humanities researcher Jenia Mukherjee uncovers the complex relationship between people, canals and wetlands in Kolkata, India.
URBAN WATER
Open Letter Regarding Water Polluting Activities Around WYC in Bawana, Delhi On Oct 25, 2025, during a visit to Western Yamuna Canal (WYC), stretch at Bawana in North West Delhi, I have found number of very serious water polluting activities going on unchecked which require your kind attention and remedial measures on urgent basis as the same has potential to contaminate the water supply and cause grave health issues to the dependent citizens.
Telangana releases Rs 2,780 crore to develop 138 municipalities The state government on Oct. 24 released Rs 2,780 crore for development works in 138 municipalities, excluding those under the Telangana Core Urban City area. Officials said 2,432 works would be taken up using funds drawn from Budget allocations and the Urban Infrastructure Development Fund (UIDF). Under the plan, newly formed municipalities will receive Rs 15 crore each, existing ones that absorbed nearby gram panchayats will get Rs 20 crore, and older municipalities Rs 15 crore. Newly created municipal corporations will get Rs 30 crore each. The Municipal Administration department has issued guidelines for spending on internal roads, drainage, junction improvements, pollution control in local water bodies, parks and culverts. Works are to be completed by March 2026.
BWSSB Joins Global SWAN Forum The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has become the first Indian water utility to join the Smart Water Networks Forum (SWAN), a global body dedicated to advancing digital and data-driven water management. The membership places the BWSSB alongside leading international utilities and technology innovators working toward sustainable water management. It also grants access to global best practices, research collaborations, and emerging smart water technologies.
WATER POLLUTION
Review on latest frontiers in water quality in the era of emerging contaminants Highlights: -The detection of emerging contaminants raises significant concerns about water safety. The evolution of sensors shows great promise for on-site and real-time monitoring. Improved real time water quality monitoring is obtained with advanced technologies. Advanced technologies combines Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. PFAS are becoming increasingly prevalent in water supplies.
JJM/ RURAL WATER SUPPLY
Centre asks states to detail corruption probes Underscoring its concerns over “irregularities” in the implementation of its flagship Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) for supplying drinking water to rural households, the Centre has directed states to outline action taken against officials and contractors involved, including graft cases filed by the CBI, Lokayukta and anti-corruption departments, The Indian Express has learnt. The directive from the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), which oversees the scheme under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, came after a “top level” review meeting at the Centre, where officials discussed the scheme’s extension till 2028 as announced in the Union Budget.
Contractors and inspection agencies against whom penalties have been imposed, blacklisting orders issued or recoveries made for irregularities under the JJM are to be included in the list, according to official sources. The DDWS has also sought information on action taken against officials of the Public Health Engineering Departments (PHED), including suspensions, removals, and FIRs registered in connection with complaints of substandard work or misuse of funds.
States have further been asked to provide one-page summaries of each case where FIRs have been filed, and to review data through “ground truthing” to confirm double entries, delays, non-implementation or over-designing of projects.
The move is also aimed at ensuring the assets remain in good condition, according to the official. The programme involves drawing water from sustainable sources through large engineering projects that feed complex networks of pipelines. Bulk of the work is carried out by private contractors chosen through a bidding process. The monitoring is being carried out through electronic dashboards, direct consultations with district magistrates and collectors, who are bureaucrats heading a district, and through audits.
DAM FLOOD 2025
Flood havoc in Punjab due to mistakes in Bhakra, Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams Dams can help reduce flooding in low-lying areas to some extent, but only if they are operated under the same motive. This did not happen in Punjab. Bhakra Dam on Sutlej, Pong Dam on Beas and Ranjit Sagar Dam on Ravi played an important role in worsening the flood situation. These three dams could have already used water for power generation, which would have reduced their storage and reduced the intensity of floods. (Himanshu Thakkar, SANDRP)
How to drown a state In recent years, every time there has been a heavy monsoon, Punjab’s farmers have found themselves at its mercy. But this year’s disaster was not inevitable, nor was it unpredictable. The flood was a “manmade disaster,” according to Hardip Singh Kingra, a former vice-chairperson of the National Environmental Appraisal Committee (Hydroelectric and River Valley Projects) and a retired additional secretary in the union government. “It can be proved beyond doubt,” he wrote to me, “that recent floods in Punjab are the result of excessive and untimely release of water” from the storage dams and barrages that sit on Punjab’s four rivers—the Beas, the Ravi, the Sutlej and the Ghaggar. When the worst of the flood hit, from 27 August to 5 September this year, all four were in spate, flowing above their danger marks and breaching bunds built for flood control along their course. Indeed, serving officials in the Punjab government and the official documents I accessed, confirmed Kingra’s assessment that the floods could have been avoided if the union and state governments had acted with care and precision.
Over 5,300 acres washed away in floods in 15 Punjab districts Over 5,300 acres of land, spread across 15 of the 23 districts in Punjab, has been washed away in the recent floods that ravaged the state in August-September. The data regarding the total land washed away — 5,307 acres — was revealed after the government completed the special girdawari of the flood-affected areas in the state. The land got washed away due to the heavy flow of water in the Ravi, Beas and the Sutlej (after its confluence with the Beas at Harike) in August and due to the Beas changing its course following nearly 55 breaches in its embankments.
Dams’ discharges likely worsened Yamuna floods during 2025 monsoon: SANDRP The SANDRP has said that water releases from the Ichari and Vyasi dams in Uttarakhand may have aggravated the flood situation in the Yamuna River during the 2025 southwest monsoon, when the river witnessed three flood spells in just two weeks between August 17 and September 1. The group’s analysis of official data shows that in several instances, the dam authorities released more water than was flowing into the reservoirs, thereby increasing the flood volume downstream.
According to SANDRP’s review, the Yamuna experienced a medium-scale flood on August 17, when discharges at the Hathnikund Barrage (HKB) in Yamuna Nagar, Haryana, crossed one lakh cusecs for 12 hours, peaking at 1,78,996 cusecs. A second, low-scale flood occurred on August 29, with discharges exceeding 50,000 cusecs for 21 hours and peaking at 83,774 cusecs. The most severe flood followed on September 1, when hourly water volumes stayed above one lakh cusecs for nearly 129 hours, with the peak discharge reaching 3,29,313 cusecs at HKB.
Yamuna Flood 2025: Is River Carrying Capacity, Pattern Changing? In absence of hourly discharge data of Wazirabad, Okhla and Gokul barrages, their role in aggravating the flood situation in downstream areas is always under suspicion. The flood spells of 2023 and 2025 have also underlined that the flood carrying capacity and flooding pattern of the Yamuna is changing due to these factors. If necessary, steps are not taken to map, manage and protect the river floodplain in holistic manner and on urgent basis, the impact and damage from high floods in future is bound to be bigger and worse.
We don’t need dams: Mamata Banerjee West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Oct. 06 reiterated her criticism of the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), accusing it of “unilateral and wilful” release of water from its reservoirs and declaring that the state “doesn’t need dams.” The remarks came ahead of her visit to flood and landslide-hit areas of north Bengal, where at least 23 people have died after relentless rain battered the hills through the weekend.
Tamil Nadu: Mettur Dam reaches full capacity for 7th time The water level at Mettur Dam reached 120 feet on Oct. 20. With an inflow of 20,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs), the dam has filled for the seventh time this year. Due to the excess water being released, officials from the Revenue Department have advised residents in low-lying areas to move to safer locations. Alerts were also broadcast through loudspeakers. The southwest monsoon has caused significant water inflow into Mettur Dam from the Kabini and Krishnaraja Sagar dams in Karnataka, as well as from the Cauvery River’s catchment areas. Mettur Dam previously filled on June 29, July 5, July 20, July 25, August 20, and September 2.
Due to increase in inflow, the discharge from Mettur dam will be increased from 1,000 cusecs to 20,000 cusecs through Dam power house and Tunnel power house. The dam, built in 1934 during the British regime, is usually opened on June 12 for cultivation of kuruvai but it has missed the deadline many times in the past.
URBAN FLOODS
Assessment of urban flood risk of the lower Tapi basin Abstract The present study attempts to identify flood susceptibility zones along the lower course of the Tapi River flowing through Surat. A cluster of 11 parameters, including elevation, slope, stream order, contour, drainage density, flow accumulation, soil, rainfall, topographic wetness index (TWI), land use and land cover, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) has been used. An integrated approach of remote sensing and GIS coupled with the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), was applied to identify the flood susceptibility zones of the study area. The output zones were divided into five flood-prone zones very high, high, moderate, low, and very low. The consequence of the study revealed that 34.62, 12.80, 16.39, 16.98, and 19.2% areas fall under zones very high, high, moderate, low, and very low, respectively.
HIMALAYAN ECOSYSTEMS
Escalating rainfall extremes across urbanizing Himalayan foothills In a new study, led by Dr. Sumanta Das from the School of Environment and Disaster Management, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (RKMVERI), in collaboration with scientists from The University of Queensland, Australia, Hadley Center for Climate, Met Office, United Kingdom, and the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, India set out to uncover how the human-induced changes in Uttarakhand are influencing rainfall behavior and hydroclimatic stability. The work is published in the journal Earth Systems and Environment. The research integrates machine learning with geospatial analytics to examine four decades (1984–2023) of precipitation data across Uttarakhand, one of India’s most ecologically fragile yet rapidly urbanizing Himalayan states.
The findings reveal that urban districts are now experiencing both heavier rainfall and longer dry spells than their rural counterparts. Haridwar and Dehradun recorded mean rainfall totals of 377.64 mm and 158.4 mm, respectively—far exceeding those in non-urban districts like Tehri Garhwal (116.18 mm). Dehradun alone exhibited a steep upward trend in rainfall, this intensification coexists with prolonged dry phases. The paper finds that the very process fueling economic progress—urban growth—is simultaneously intensifying rainfall extremes, hydrological stress, and disaster vulnerability.
HIMALAYAN DISASTERS
Glacier mass loss is higher in Baspa basin Abstract The model results were validated using available field-based mass balance data from two glaciers in the basin for the periods 1985–1991, 2001–2003, and 2011–2013. A comparison between the original IAAR and the methods indicates a reduction in mass balance estimation error by 19 ± 6%. The ice loss for 33 glaciers was estimated in the Baspa River basin using the modified IAAR as 0.11 ± 0.4 Gt·a–1, and by an IAAR method, it was estimated as 0.03 ± 0.6 Gt·a–1. These results suggest that glaciers in the Baspa basin are losing mass at a higher rate than previous estimates, heralding quick attention to glacier conservation. Furthermore, the root mean square error (RMSE) of the IAAR method (with a single PG) relative to field data was 0.82 m·w·e·a–1, whereas the modified IAAR (with multiple PGs) reduced the RMSE to 0.2 m·w·e·a–1, demonstrating a substantial improvement in model performance.
Glacial lakes grew by 9.24% in 14 years: CWC The Monthly Monitoring Report by the commission keeps track of water bodies in the Himalayan region. Its August iteration, which is yet to be made public, noted that shrinking glaciers and the expansion of glacial lakes have become some of the most visible signs of global warming in the region. The CWC said 1,435 glacial lakes and water bodies showed an increase in their water spread area, while 1,008 recorded a decrease over the 14-year period. The total inventory area of glacial lakes and water bodies increased from 5.30 lakh hectares in 2011 to 5.79 lakh hectares in 2025, it said.
The report said the commission monitors 2,843 glacial lakes and water bodies using high-resolution Sentinel satellite data through Google Earth Engine. Of these, 428 glacial lakes located within India showed expansion and require “vigorous monitoring for disaster preparedness.” These include 133 in Ladakh, 50 in Jammu and Kashmir, 13 in Himachal Pradesh, seven in Uttarakhand, 44 in Sikkim, and 181 in Arunachal Pradesh.
LANDSLIDE
Multi-hazard microzonation of Joshimath In this study, deterministic seismic hazard analysis (DSHA) was carried out to assess the seismic hazard of the Joshimath region. The peak ground acceleration (PGA) values across the region were found to vary from 0.13 to 0.73g, indicating a notably high level of seismic hazard, particularly in the south-western part. It was observed that ~50% of the region may experience a PGA value of more than 0.40g. For landslide risk assessment, the landslide hazard evaluation factor (LHEF) method was adopted, integrating key parameters such as geology, slope morphology, relative relief, land use/land cover, and groundwater conditions. The resulting landslide hazard zonation (LHZ) map classified the terrain into different risk categories, from very low to very high, with ~80% of the region falling under low to moderate hazard zones.
Mussoorie faces high landslide risk: Study The alarming findings come from the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) in Dehradun. Researchers surveyed an 84 square kilometre area in the Middle Himalayan region. Dr. Anil Joshi, lead researcher on the project, stated, “Our mapping clearly indicates several micro-locations where the geological structure simply cannot support current levels of human interference.” The most vulnerable areas identified include Bhattaghat, George Everest, Kempty Fall, Khatta Pani, Library Road, Galogidhar, and Hathipaon.
The study pinpoints the underlying geology as a major factor. These sensitive slopes are characterised by highly fractured and unstable Krol limestone rock formations. Furthermore, many of these slopes exceed a steepness of 60 degrees. “Unregulated construction and extensive road cutting have dangerously exacerbated the inherent instability of these slopes,” explained a WIHG source familiar with the research.
Slope stability assessment mapping in Mussoorie The finding indicates that out of 18 selected slopes, 4 slopes are bad slope or unstable, which includes slope 3,4 and 6 in the lower part of the Mussoorie area near Jharipani, while slope 10 near Hathi Paon-Mussoorie Road is also unstable. The slopes around Junu waterfall are stable. Partially unstable slopes may vulnerable to slope failure in the future due to heavy rainfall and unstructured construction. Additionally, the Area Under Curve (AUC) and predictive rate curve values are 61% and 78% respectively, indicating acceptable overall accuracy. This study highlights the landslide issues in Mussoorie region due to rapid urbanization & climate change and demonstrates the effectiveness of the employed methods for future risk analysis.
Spatial prediction of landslides in Pithoragarh Abstract The present study deals with the preparation of a landslide susceptibility zonation (LSZ) map of the Pithoragarh district using three statistical models. The thirteen causative factors such as slope angle, aspect, elevation, plan curvature, profile curvature, lithology, topographic wetness index (TWI), land use land cover (LULC), distance to road, distance to drainage, distance to thrust, soil texture, and rainfall were found to influence the landslide occurrences in the study area and subsequent thematic layers were prepared.
ENVIRONMENT GOVERNANCE
Set-back for Chhattisgarh village opposing mining A right never lawfully claimed, legally cannot be said to have been taken away, the Chhattisgarh High Court observed earlier this month, as it dismissed a decade-old petition filed by Ghatbarra villagers against coal mining in the Hasdeo forest region. Holding that the villagers’ Community Forest Rights (CFR) were never legally claimed or, even, recognised under the procedures prescribed in the Forest Rights Act, the HC upheld a 2016 CFR revocation order. Effectively, its order sustained mining clearances for the Parsa East and Kete Basen (PEKB) coal block, now owned by the Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd (RRVUNL).
SOUTH ASIA
Future Indo-Bangladesh of Ganges Water Treaty On September 25, 2025, the India–Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) convened in New Delhi to discuss the future of the 1996 Ganges Water Treaty, which expires in December 2026. It was expected to be a dialogue on cooperation. Dhaka’s request for a revision of the treaty—to ensure a guaranteed 40,000 cusecs of water instead of the current 35,000 cusecs—was flatly rejected by New Delhi. India cited domestic water shortages and state-level politics as justification.
The treaty sets broad parameters for water sharing but fails to guarantee a minimum flow to Bangladesh during critical dry months (March–May). It lacks a binding dispute resolution mechanism. By retaining control over Farakka’s operations, India has secured an unfair advantage: the ability to regulate Ganges flows according to its own agricultural and industrial needs.
For Bangladesh, the Ganges is more than a river—it is a lifeline. Nearly 60% of its agricultural economy depends on consistent water supply from India. Yet, the Farakka Barrage, located just upstream in West Bengal, has become a choke point. When India releases too little water, Bangladesh suffers severe dry-season droughts. When it releases too much, Bangladesh is inundated by floods.
Since 1996, climate change has altered rainfall patterns, glacial melt rates, and river discharge volumes. Yet, the treaty remains frozen in time, offering no provisions for variability or environmental sustainability. Moreover, the Joint Rivers Commission (JRC)—tasked with overseeing treaty implementation—functions more as a diplomatic ritual than a problem-solving body. It has limited authority and no independent monitoring.
Afghanistan to build Dam on tributary of Kabul River Afghanistan water resources minister Mullah Abdul Latif Mansoor has announced that it plans to build a dam on Kunar River, a tributary of Kabul River, which ultimately meets Indus. The minister said the dam construction would be led by local firms.
The Kunar River Running for nearly 500km, the origins of the Kunar are in the Hindu Kush mountains in Chitral district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. It then flows south into Afghanistan, running through the Kunar and Nangarhar provinces, before emptying into the Kabul River. The combined rivers, boosted by the waters of a third, the Pech, then turn east into Pakistan again and join the Indus near the city of Attock in that country’s Punjab province. Should Afghanistan build dams on the Kunar/Kabul before it enters Pak, it will affect the latter’s access to water for farms and people already left parched. Afghanistan and Pakistan has no water sharing treaty.
The Taliban has focused on rivers and canals running through the country, including those that flow west into Central Asia, by building dams and canals. An example is the controversial 285 km long Qosh Tepa canal being built in northern Afghanistan. It is expected to turn an arid expanse of over 550,000 hectares into viable farmland. Experts have said the canal could divert up to 21 per cent of another river, the Amu Darya, and that, in turn, could affect already water-starved nations like Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
“… both sides also underscored the importance of sustainable water management and agreed to cooperate on hydroelectric projects with a view to addressing Afghanistan’s energy needs and supporting its agricultural development,” an India-Afganistan joint statement recently after the visit of Afghan Foreign Minister said.
India has long been involved in Afghanistan’s water resources development. The $300 million Salma Dam, completed in 2016, generates 42 MW of electricity and irrigates 75,000 hectares. The Shahtoot Dam on a tributary of Kabul River, backed by a $250 million Indian commitment, will supply clean water to two million Kabul residents and irrigate thousands of hectares of farmland.
REST OF WORLD
Salmon clear last Klamath dams For the first time in more than 100 years, Chinook salmon have been spotted at the confluence of the Sprague and Williamson rivers in Chiloquin, the government seat of the Klamath Tribes in Southern Oregon. It’s the latest milestone following the removal of four dams on the Klamath River last year, which was the largest river restoration project in U.S. history.
SANDRP
SANDRP 