2025: Sand Miners Suspected for Blasting Check Dams in Telangana

June 10, 2026June 10, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Check dam on Manair river at Adavisomanpalli in damaged condition on Dec. 18, 2025. Source: DC)

Collapse of two check dams, Tanugula and Adavisomanpally, on Manair river during Nov-Dec 2025 under suspicious circumstances has raised serious concerns about the structural safety of the irrigation infrastructures in Telangana. The locals and officials suspect the role of illegal sand mining and possible use of explosives by sand miners as likely cause.

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Dams, Rivers & People · Ganga · Interlinking of RIvers · Rivers · Yamuna River

Yamuna Manthan May 2026: Ken-Betwa Linking Needs Urgent Reassessment

May 16, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Featue Image: Protesters express anger by staging symbolic hangings during the protest during April 5 to 16, 2026. Photo: Amit Bhatnagar/DTE)

Fresh protests over the past month by tribal communities affected by the Ken-Betwa River Linking Project have again raised serious concerns about its environmental impact and social costs. The project is going ahead despite questions over its hydrological assessment and environmental, forest and wildlife clearances. Moreover, the govt has not even explored the available cost effective and better alternatives.

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Environmental Flow · Floodplain · Floods · Urban Rivers · Yamuna River

Yamuna Manthan 0426: Will Govts Ensure Survival of Chambal River Sanctuary?

April 9, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Index map of Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal River Interlinking Project. Souce: NWDA)

Two critical developments over the past month have once again highlighted the scale of threats undermining the ecological integrity of the Chambal, the largest tributary of the Yamuna. The rich aquatic life in the Chambal Sanctuary has already been adversely affected by the gradual decline in river flows and unabated illegal sand mining.

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Chenab · Hydro Disaster · Landslide

March 2026: Landslide at Pakul Dul HEP in Jammu & Kashmir

March 18, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Search operation being conducted at Pakal Dul HEP dam site. Source: Screengrab of PNA.)

One worker has been killed; one went missing while two others sustained minor injuries following a landslide at the head race tunnel (HRT) site of Pakal Dul Hydro Electric Power (HEP) Project near Drangdhuran village in Dachan tehsil under Kishtwar district of Jammu & Kashmir as per available reports.

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Dams, Rivers & People · Rivers

International Day of Action for Rivers 2026: Efforts to Protect and Revive India’s Rivers

March 14, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Uttar Pradesh’s Matuka River Revived: How Farmers Got Their Lifeline On Course. Source: News18)

Marking the International Day of Action for Rivers 2026, this overview brings together several encouraging examples of people’s efforts to protect, revive and defend their rivers across India. At a time when rivers are increasingly threatened by pollution, indiscriminate sand mining, encroachments, dams and half-baked developmental projects, these stories remind us that citizens, communities and grassroots organizations remain the strongest defenders of the rivers.

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Ganga · Himalayas · Hydro Disaster

Dec 2025: Vishnugad Pipalkoti HEP Tunnel Accident in Uttarakhand

December 31, 2025January 1, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Screen shot of FB video report on Vishnugad Pipalkoti HEP tunnel accident)

Collision between two loco trains inside the tunnel of Vishnugad Pipalkoti HEP in Uttarakhand around 9.30 pm on Dec 30 2025 has left over 60 workers injured. The accident occurred during change in work shift about 7km inside the tunnel near the tunnel boring machine (TBM). About 109 workers were working inside the 13km long tunnel at the time of the accident. The trains are deployed to transport the workers. The 444 Mw project is being built by Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) on Alaknanda river in Chamoli district. The construction work is going on since 2013-14.

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Beas · Climate Change · Dams · Disasters · Himalayas · Hydro Disaster

Himachal Pradesh: Sainj HEP Remains Out of Operation for over 4 months

November 16, 2025November 16, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Outlet of Sainj HEP powerhouse tunnel buried under silt in last week of June 2025. Source: Hariram Chaudhary, Sainj)

The Sainj Hydroelectric Project (HEP) in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh has been out of operation for over the past four months. The 100 Mw project of the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) is the fourth HEP which was severely affected by flash flood in Jiwa nullah on June 25, 2025.

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Beas · Climate Change · Himalayas · Small Hydro

Himachal Pradesh: Kullu Villagers Demand Suspension of Sarbari-I SHEP

October 10, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

Blaming Sarbari I Small Hydro Power (HEP) project for causing reoccurring disasters, the villagers of Mashana panchayat in Lag Valley of Kullu district have demanded suspension of the 4.5 Mw project operation. As per the villagers the leakages in the surge shaft and head race tunnel and burst of penstock of the project in August and Sept. months this year have caused landslides and flash flood disasters impacting their land and livelihoods. They have said that due to these disasters about 80 meter Mashana link road, some houses, a water tank and over hundreds of bigha of fertile farmland have been severely damaged.

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Dams · Ganga · Gangetic Dolphins

National Dolphin Day 2025: Deaths, Threats, Conservation Efforts related to Gangetic Dolphins

October 6, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Carcass of a Gangetic dolphin found on Ganga river bank in Sahibganj district on Oct. 02, 2025)

Oct. 5 is marked as National Dolphin Day since 2022 after a decision by the NBWL in its 67^th meeting in March 2022. Earlier the day was designated as Ganga River Dolphin Day. Bihar has been celebrating Oct. 5 as ‘Dolphin Day’ for the past many years. In May 2010, the MoEF had notified the Gangetic Dolphin as ‘National Aquatic Animal’ and in Aug. 2022 launched the Project Dolphin.

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Floods · Highest Flood Level · Monsoon · Rivers

Rivers in Extreme Floods During SW Monsoon 2025

October 4, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

This is the summary report of Highest Flood Levels (HFL) breach incidents which we could document from CWC’s flood monitoring website during South West Monsoon Season 2025. The monthly reports for HFL breach incident for July 2025, August 2025 and September 2025 can be seen by clicking the hyperlinks and the detailed final report can be seen here. SANDRP’s previous reports on the subject can be seen here: HFL breach incidents in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 (I), 2021 (II), 2022 (I), 2022 (II), 2023, and 2024.

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