The local communities have continued their collective resistance against destructive hydro power (HEP) projects in North East and North West Himalayan states in India all through 2025. The ACT in Sikkim has condemned the EAC decision to rebuild the washed-out Teesta III dam. The SIFF along with dependent villagers and concerned citizen groups have opposed the forceful deployment of armed forces for SUMP surveys in Siang river basin.
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2025: Corruption in Dams and Hydro Projects in India
(Feature Image: Washed out Teesta III dam in Sikkim. Credit: Save the Hills)
In May 2025, Sikkim Vigilance Police conducted raid in several cities to probe allegations of financial corruption and fraud in 1200 Mw Teesta III HEP dam project claiming that the material gathered could unearth massive scandal that compromised the dam’s safety and led to its structural failure in Oct. 2023. The Assam GST department in Sept. 2025 has uncovered ₹8.2 cr irregularities in tax filings and transactions by the company involved in constructing the dam of 2000 Mw Subansiri Lower HEP.
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Lippa Villagers Blame Kashang HEP for Artificial Lake in Sutlej Basin
(Feature Image: Sept. 07, 2025 pics showingg houses submerged in artificial lake in Lippa village)
It has been over three weeks since an artificial lake formed in Lippa village under Pooh division of Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh has not been breached fully. The lake was formed after flashflood in Pajer nullah in Sutlej river basin on Sept 4, 2025 which blocked the flow of Kerang stream. Subsequently, first floors of about 5 homes were submerged in the lake water. The deluge also damaged 5 irrigation channels, 2 potable water sources & several apple plants.
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DRP 18 Aug2025: Sustainable Hydropower an Oxymoron?
Analyzing a recent paper authored by 37 persons mainly from academics and hydropower related companies on “Sustainable Hydropower”, Eugene Simonov shows why the phrase is an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms. The paper fails to even refer to the most important work on hydropower projects, the report of the World Commission on Dams.
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DRP 280725: CWC Guidelines on GLOF should have mandated all information in public domain, independent assessment after every GLOF
Guidelines for Structural Measures to Mitigate Adverse Effects of GLOF on Dams Central Water Commission (CWC) on July 23 has issued new guidelines to safeguard dam infrastructure from risks and threat of flash floods triggered by glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). The information about this 40 paged documents named Guidelines for Structural Measures to Mitigate Adverse Effects of GLOF on Dams July 2025 was shared by CWC director Shiv Kumar Sharma, in a LinkedIn post. The document is available in PPT format and a pdf link for the same is still not available.
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DRP 070725: Demand for Commission of Inquiry on Hydro Obsession in Himachal
(Feature Image: Flood ravaged Priyadarshini HEP in Manuni khad in Dharamshala, Kangra. Source: Social Media)
Hydropower obsession, Himalayan failure The massive hydropower push, another legacy of post-1990s liberalisation, has amplified vulnerability. Dams have mushroomed across river basins in Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba, and Kullu — with scant regard for ecological thresholds. Muck from these construction sites is routinely dumped into riverbeds, narrowing channels and raising riverbeds. When the rains arrive, this loose muck turns into a lethal force, taking down everything in its path. The hydropower model — built on the assumption of perpetual revenue — has neither delivered long-term employment nor sustainable energy. Instead, it has left behind ecological scars, displaced communities, and made vast swathes of the state more disaster-prone.
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Subansiri Lower HEP faces damages in 2025 like in every year since 2019
“The commissioning of the Subansiri Lower Hydro Electric Project (SLHEP) has been further delayed till May 2026” NHPC has now acknowledged. In a report filed by PTI, the project developer has acknowledged on June 12 2025 that the controversial 2000 MW Hydropower project on Subansiri River in Brahmaputra basin on Assam-Arunachal border “has suffered “minor damages” during the recent monsoon rains”. The suggestion that the damages were minor may not be accurate considering the consequences of project delay.
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Jammu & Kashmir: ‘Cloudburst’ damages Karnah HEP in Jhelum Basin in May 2025
(Feature Image: Screenshot of video shared by Kashmir Weather on X platform showing powerhouse of 12 Mw Karnah HEP flooded after ‘cloudburst’ disaster on May 27, 2025 evening)
A ‘cloudburst’ induced deluge and landslide has severely affected the under construction 12 Mw Karnah Hydro Power Project in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district in evening hours of May 27, 2025. The extreme weather event between 04:45 PM to 05:45 PM, flooded the project.
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2024: Corruption in Hydro, Dams in India
(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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2023: People’s Protests Against Hydro & Dam Projects in India
(Feature Image: Joshimath locals take part in a protest rally against the NTPC project in landslide-hit Joshimath town of Chamoli district, Uttarakhand. PTI Photo/Source: Financial Express)
This yearend overview compiles the ten remarkable reports on community led protests against dam and hydro power projects in India in 2023. The report also covers some important judicial and government decisions regarding dams related issues during the year. It further compiles some relevant reports which significantly highlight bleak future of hydro and dam projects due to persistent decline in power generation, rise in construction cost and corruption issues. The first part of the overview detailing on dams and hydro projects related disasters in 2023 can be seen here.
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SANDRP 