South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People
(Feature Image: Rockfall at Chamera III dam site in Chamba on July 24, 2026. Source: Amar Ujala)
A rockfall at the dam site of the 231 MW Chamera-III Hydro Project narrowly averted a major tragedy on July 24, 2026. The incident occurred close to the dam construction area around 6 PM near Kharamukh on the Pathankot–Bharmour NH in Chamba dist, Himachal Pradesh.
Continue reading “July 2026: Workers Injured by Rockfall near Chamera-III Dam Site in Ravi Basin”(Feature Image: Flash flood at Chanju III HEP site in Chamba on July 19. Source: The Modern Himachal)
A flash flood in the Chanju stream on July 19, 2026, caused significant damage to the Chanju-III Hydroelectric Project (HEP) in Ravi basin. The project is being built near Chanju and Dehra villages in Churah subdivision of Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh. As per initial reports, the swollen stream washed away large quantities of construction material and damaged several temporary structures at the project site.
Continue reading “July 2026: Flood Damages Chanju-III HEP Again in Ravi Basin, Himachal Pradesh”(Feature Image: Flood spell in Chenab river overtopping and damaging part of cofferdam at 850 MW Ratle HEP in Kistwar, J&K. Source: Greater Kashmir).
The cofferdam of Ratle Hydroelectric Project (HEP) was partially damaged due to a floods in Chenab river on July 23, 2026. The 850 MW project is under construction near Drabshalla village in Kishtwar district of Jammu & Kashmir. The cofferdam was built to divert river flows and facilitate construction of the main concrete gravity dam.
Continue reading “July 2026: Chenab Flood Damages Ratle HEP Coffer Dam in J&K”(Feature Image: Google Earth image showing Lippa village, Pejar and Kerang streams and location of artificial lake in red circle.)
A flash flood triggered by heavy rainfall on 9 July 2026 created an artificial lake in Lippa village under Pooh subdivision of Kinnaur district, Himachal Pradesh. The deluge originated in the Pejar (Pager) nallah, which carried huge amount of boulders, debris and slush into the Kerang stream (Teti khad) blocking its natural flow. The obstruction caused water to accumulate rapidly, creating an artificial lake at the confluence of Pejar and Kerang stream.
Continue reading “July 2026: Recurring Artificial Lake Floods Lippa in Sutlej Basin”(Feature Image: Trapped and damaged vehicles at Lakhwar dam site following a landslide on July 11, 2026. Source: Amar Ujala)
The under-construction Lakhwar dam site on the Yamuna river in Dehradun district of Uttarakhand witnessed two landslide incidents within three days in July 2026. Although there was no loss of life, both incidents damaged construction machinery, exposed the risks faced by workers, and revived concerns about slope stability, construction practices and the suitability of building such a large dam in the fragile Himalayan region.
Continue reading “July 2026: Two Landslide Incidents at Lakhwar Dam in Three Days”Pune saw some of the warmest summer days and nights this summer. So did several Indian cities. With the recent monsoon, the thoughts of this heat might have washed away but it is important that one does not forget the summer heat. Why? Read More:
| Why run and hurry? Here’s dictionary: Microclimate: Microclimate generally refers to the specific climatic conditions within a small area (such as street, park, riverside, etc.). With rise in extreme events like heat and global warming, microclimate is what make cities/ spaces livable. The temperature difference you experience while driving on a road with no tree cover vs with a tree cover is what microclimate is. |
Collapsed Bridge: Bride and Groom wait on the banks of flooded Jahlma even as farmers carry their harvests on their backs Photo: Govind Phurpa
His home and fields are adjacent to a glacial stream called Jahlma Nallah which shoots from the Pir Panjal range to meet the Chenab River below. And just as he predicted, on the afternoon of 29th June 2026, like the past five years[1], Jahlma Nallah flooded and roared. In a matter of minutes, the thin flow transformed into a terrifying, brown debris-laden force. The sludge raced towards Chenab and nearly blocked the river by the brute force of water and debris it collected on its way. It cut off the connectivity of hundreds of villages.[2]
Continue reading “Flooding Under the Scorching Sun: The Unstudied Crisis of Himalayan Nallahs”(Feature Image: Screenshots from Akashvani News Jammu video showing flash flood imapct at Kwar HEP site on July 06, 2026.)
A major flash flood and landslide on July 06, 2026 affected the Kwar Hydroelectric Project (HEP) near Padhyarna in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir. The disaster occurred in the early morning hours following intense overnight rainfall.
Continue reading “July 2026: Flash Flood Disaster at Kwar HEP Site in Chenab Valley, J&K”In an astounding move, NHPC published a Tender Notice for ‘Chenab-Beas Link Tunnel Project (Link 3)’ on the 20th May 2026 [1] and immediately cancelled it on the 23rd May 2026. No details of this project were online before this sudden announcement and its retraction, nor does the project have legally required environmental, forest, tribal ministry clearances or Gram Sabha resolutions in support.
Continue reading “Chenab-Beas Link Tunnel: Safety of the Indian Himalayan Region at Stake”Guest Article by Nirmala Gowda
Under the National Water Mission, the Government of Karnataka conducted a consultation workshop on 24 March 2026 on “Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies for the Water Sector in Karnataka.” Mapping Malnad attended the session and subsequently, along with SAPACC (South Asian People’s Action on Climate Crisis), submitted written comments on the presentation. This is a summary of our submission.
(The background image in the feature photo above is Pandri river, tributary of Kali river, Upstream of Supa Dam in Uttara Kannada District. Photo taken by the author.)
SANDRP 