DRP 260525: Opposition to large hydro as strategic projects

May 26, 2025February 28, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Lahaul Spiti Ekta manch holds a protest rally against hydel projects at Udaipur in Lahaul Spiti on Friday May 23. Source: The Tribune)

Some of the most prominent reports this week are related to wide spread opposition to large hydro projects in Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, among other states. Indeed, there is little sense in building large hydro projects as strategic assets as seems to be the case in Himachal Pradesh and J&K (Chenab basin) and Arunachal Pradesh (Siang basin, among others). Use of security forces to complete pre-feasibility survey when local communities are strongly against the project, as is being done in case of Siang Upper Multipurpose Project is clearly counter-productive in so many ways. In Kerala people have again gathered to oppose the destructive Athirapally Hydro projects that they have been successfully opposing since late 1990s.

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Dams

Relevance of Ganga Mukti Andolan: Then and Now

April 29, 2025May 1, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

((Above Photo of GMA office by Miss Shalini Jha)

GUEST ARTICLE BY DR. RUCHI SHREE

On 22-23 February, 2025, Ganga Mukti Andolan (GMA) celebrated its 43^rd anniversary in Kahalgaon (Bhagalpur, Bihar). In these two days celebration, social activists from different parts of the country participated to underline the problems faced by river Ganga and the fisherfolk community of this region. Its slogan ‘Ganga ko aviral bahne do’ (let the Ganga flow freely) which united the different sections of the society to come together in the 1980s seems to be so relevant even today. For a movement to survive for four decades undoubtedly marks its relevance. However, during this long span of time, the movement has undergone several changes. But at the same time, it also marks a continuity and this essay is an attempt to understand the nuances and significance of this struggle.

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Dams · DRP News Bulletin

DRP 240225: Unanswered questions on Ken Betwa Project

February 24, 2025February 28, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

At a well-attended meeting at India International Centre in Delhi on Feb 20 2025, organised by VIDHI Centre for Legal Policy, a panel of speakers including Shri Shashi Shekhar (former secretary, Union Ministry of Water Resources) and Shri Jasbir Singh Chauhan (former Principle Chief Conservator of Forests, Madhya Pradesh) and Himanshu Thakkar of SANDRP, a number of fundamental questions were raised about the controversial Ken Betwa River Link Project. Unfortunately, no clear answers are forth coming from the authorities.

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Dams

DRP 030225: Water Anarchy in Gujarat in Narmada water allocation?

February 3, 2025February 28, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

A report this week quotes a Govt of Gujarat (GOG) insider saying that GOG is giving 16.7% of SSP (Sardar Sarovar Project) water for industries (with more in pipeline) against planned allocation of just 2% (0.2 Million Acre Feet or MAF). Similarly, against planned allocation of zero for Urban areas in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Vadodara, Kheda and Bharuch, most large urban areas are getting Narmada water. However, the insider says, the area irrigated by the SSP is only 33% of the targeted area, with largest water quantities going to already irrigated central Gujarat. Similarly, with the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal (NWDT) asked Gujarat to provide water for the SSP Downstream areas from its allocated share, but Gujarat keeps claiming it has no water for this and asks other states to provide water for the downstream areas from common pool. It seems the worst fears of the project critiques are coming true. The insider has in fact characterized this state of affairs as water anarchy in Gujarat.

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Dams

DRP 200125: Whither Env Clearance Rejection rate from Expert Appraisal Committee or MoEF?

January 20, 2025February 28, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

A detailed review of functioning of Union Ministry of Environment and Forests’ (MoEF) Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) on River Valley Projects (RVP) for 2024 by SANDRP shows that the committee or for that matter MoEF has almost non-existent rejection rate. Even when a project is not cleared, when it applies again, it gets clearance, whether the application if for stage I (Terms of Reference) or Stage II (Environment Clearance- EC) clearance. Even in some cases like Pump Storage Projects (PSP) in Western Ghats or the Hydropower projects in disaster prone Himalayas, including the disaster-stricken projects like the 1200 MW Teesta III projects in Sikkim, the scrutiny including field visits by the EAC Sub committees is minimal, not worthy calling even scrutiny.

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Dams

EAC & FAC Decisions on Dams, Hydro, Irrigation Projects in 2024

January 17, 2025January 18, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

This annual overview tracks the minutes of meetings held by Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for River Valley and Hydropower Projects between 20 December 2023 and 31 December 2024 for consideration of Dams, Hydroelectric Power (HEP), Pumped Storage Hydro Projects (PSP) and Irrigation related proposals seeking Terms of Reference (TOR) and Environment Clearance (EC) approvals. The analysis also covers various water projects related proposals considered by the Forest Appraisal Committee (FAC) between 15 December 2023 and 26 December 2024 for Forest Clearances (FC).

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Dams · Highest Flood Level

Rivers Flowing in Extreme Flood Situation during Northeast Monsoon 2024

January 12, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

In addition to rivers flowing in extreme flood situations at 64 flooding monitoring stations during Southwest Monsoon 2024, we have found that rivers have crossed highest flood level (HFL) at four stations during just concluded Northeast Monsoon season. Of these four stations, three are in Tamil Nadu state and one is in Union Territory of Puducherry.

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Dams · Hydro Power Projects

2024: Corruption in Hydro, Dams in India

January 4, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Construction site of 382 Mw Sunni Hydro project on Sutlej river in Himachal Pradesh. Source: Social Media)

This annual overview focusses on important reports highlighting the corruption issues related to the hydro and dam projects in India in 2024. The electoral bond case has revealed the deep nexus among political parties, contractors and financers as dominant force working behind the projects overlooking the evident disaster risks and undermining the democratic process. As a result, the people, rivers and environment are made to bear the burden and burnt.

The part 1 of the yearend roundup has documented the accidents and disasters related to dam and HEP projects in India in 2024. The part 2 focuses on community resistance against hydro projects in Himalayan states. The part 3 covers the struggle of dam projects affected people. The part 4 highlights growing concerns against pump storage projects.

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Dams

2024: Dam Affected Continue to Struggle across India

December 25, 2024January 19, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Tribals in Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh protesting against Basania dam in March 2024. Image: ETV Bharat)

The part 3 of annual 2024 overview on the dams and hydro projects covers the ongoing movements of dam affected people in India. All through the year 2024, the Narmada Bachao Andolan continued peaceful protests seeking justice for Sardar Sarovar Project affected villagers. Tribals in upper Narmada Valley have also been fiercely opposing the Basania dam. The Hirakud dam displaced people have demanded formation of statutory national commission to hear their grievances.

The plight of Pong dam affected villagers have worsened as they again face displacement from rehabilitated lands due to new development projects while most of the land given to Renuka dam affected has been damaged by floods. It is indeed tragic that despite sacrificing their land and livelihoods for the ‘development’ of the country decades back, thousands of dams affected villagers are still forced to fight for promised rehabilitation.

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Dams · Hydropower · Maharashtra · Western Ghats

Letter to the EAC: No justification for Adani Dams in the Western Ghats

November 29, 2024November 30, 2024 SANDRP2 Comments

28.11.24

To,
The Chairperson and Members,
Expert Appraisal Committee, River Valley Projects,
Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change
New Delhi

Subject: Submission against 1500 MW Warasgaon Warangi Pumped Storage Project by Adani Green Energy to be discussed in the 19th EAC meeting for TORs

Respected Sirs,

We see that Adani Green Energy’s 1500 MW Warasgaon-Warangi Pumped Storage Project is being considered for fresh TORs in the upcoming meeting of the EAC. We have gone through the documents uploaded by the proponent (AGEL) on MoEF CC’s Parivesh Website.^[1]

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