Wetlands

World Wetlands Day 2026: India’s Ramsar Sites Facing Threats

January 29, 2026February 3, 2026 SANDRP1 Comment

(Feature Image: Dead fish floating on Ashtamudi Lake at Kadavur in Kollam in last week of Oct. 2025)

“Wetlands and traditional knowledge: Celebrating cultural heritage” is theme for global World Wetlands Day (WWD) 2026 celebrated annually on Feb 2. On the occasion, we share reports about 21 Ramsar wetlands from various Indian states underlining the worsening plight of Ramsar sites in India. This does not necessarily mean that the Ramsar wetlands not listed here are in any better state, it only means that media attention has not brought their stories in public domain with sufficient prominence. The state of Ramsar wetlands in India clearly shows complete lack of any governance in place to ensure that the Ramsar sites get protection from degradation, threats and destruction. Worryingly, even Ramsar Convention seems completely disinterested in doing anything to ensure protection of the wetlands that get Ramsar tag.

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WFD 2025: Mass Fish Death in Indian Rivers

November 22, 2025November 24, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Thousands of fish found dead in Mula-Mutha river near Naik Bet, a river island at Bund Garden in last week of Dec. 2024. Source)

Indian rivers continue to witness mass fish death incidents all through the year 2025. Most of these incidents we were able to track have occurred in urban rivers across the country including Mula-Mutha in Pune, Yamuna in Delhi, Gomti in Lucknow and Varuna in Varanasi. Mass fish mortality cases have also happened in streams passing through Nalagarh & Pithampur industrial areas of Himachal Pradesh & Madhya Pradesh. These streams are part of Sutlej-Ghaggar-Yamuna-Chambal river basins & have been facing large scale fish death for years.

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Wetlands

2024: Approach to Restore Bengaluru Lakes

March 11, 2025March 11, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: -Doddakallasandra Lake on Kanakapura Road in Southern Bengaluru. Photo Credit: Murali Kumar K/ The Hindu/Jan. 2025)

The lakes in Bengaluru have often been in the news for the froth, fish kills, encroachments and pollution related issues and the year 2024 has been no different amid growing concerns and govt attempts to restore them. In fact, despite NGT orders and huge amount spent by the govt, the restoration works of Bellandur, Varthur, Yele Mallappa Shetty, Madiwala and Hosakerehalli lakes have not been completed.

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Yamuna River

दिल्ली में नई सरकार: क्या अब निर्मल होगी यमुना?

February 16, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

दिल्ली विधानसभा चुनाव प्रचार के दौरान यमुना नदी प्रदूषण एक महत्वपूर्ण राजनितिक मुद्दा बना। चुनाव जीतने के बाद स्वयं प्रधानमंत्री और भाजपा पार्टी के वरिष्ठ नेताओं ने ‘आप’ सरकार की हार के लिए यमुना की दुर्दशा को एक प्रमुख कारण बताया। साथ में यमुना को साफ करने की बात कही। ऐसे में क्या दिल्ली के नागरिक एक स्वच्छ बहती नदी की उम्मीद रख सकते हैं?

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Groundwater

GW Overview 2023: Top Ten Judicial Actions

January 19, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Filled with untreated industrial effluents Drain No. 6 in May 2023, passing through Kundli industrial area in Sonipat and causing groundwater pollution along its course. Bhim Singh Rawat/SANDRP)

This third and concluding 2023 yearend overview on Groundwater in India, compiles top ten judicial interventions dealing with the depletion and contamination of groundwater. The SC asking Punjab govt to review groundwater conservation law in the face of air pollution crisis in Delhi is the biggest judicial development of 2023. The Kerala HC directing state govt to bring selling of well water under Food Safety & Standards Act 2006 & Regulation 2011 comes next.

The NGT too on its part has taken note for groundwater depletion and contimination across the country and issued notices to central and state governments. Following NGT orders, there have been action against commercial and industrial units extracting groundwater without permission in Delhi and NCR areas. In another ongoing noteworthy case, the NGT has asked MoJS consider prohibiting groundwater use for cricket ground maintenance.

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Dam floods · Fly Ash Bund Breach

2023: Fly Ash Bund Breach Incidents in India

January 4, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

During 2023, we have found two incidents of fly ash bund breach in India. The first incident occurred in Waregaon under Kamptee taluka of Nagpur, Maharashtra in morning hours of July 19, 2023. The fly ashy pond belonged to Khaparkheda Thermal Power Station (KTPS) which is owned by Maharashtra State Power Generation Co Ltd (MAHAGENCO) a state-run power company.

The fly ash pond was brimful following heavy rainfall when a portion of its wall collapsed around 08:00 am. Resultantly, about 15 agricultural farms were flooded with toxic slurry damaging the crops. About 100 acres of agricultural land were filled with fly ash sludge which also entered the Kanhan River.

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