Rivers

Message after 50 yrs of Gharial conservation: Save Rivers if we really want to save Gharials

June 26, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

The Central message after fifty years of Gharial Conservation effort since 1975 is that Gharial’s fate remains precarious. It seems like a species living on borrowed time, forever on the verge of extinction. It is living thanks to a few scientists, forest officials and some riverside communities. And if we really want to save Gharials, we must save rivers, the habitat of Gharials from sand mining, dams and pollution.

If the next 50 years of Gharial conservation are to be more successful than the last, India will need to protect not just a species, but an entire ecosystem. Gharials can be saved only if their habitat, rivers can be saved. India showed the will to save tigers starting early 1970s, but is there a will to save some of the rivers to save gharials?

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Groundwater

Groundwater 2024: Top Ten stories on how Depletion continues alarmingly

February 18, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: A villager is taking his cattle through the bone-dry Nimi River, a tributary of Tons in Dehradun after feeding it water from a syntex tank placed in riverbed. The tank is filled with groundwater by a submersible installed on the bank of the river. B. S. Rawat/SANDRP/May 2024)

Like growing contamination of groundwater in India, its depletion is also increasing at alarming level as shows the top ten relevant reports from 2024 which we are able to compile in this third annual overview on the subject. At central level two reports on Atal Bhujal Yojna highlight that funds allocated for the flagship scheme have been grossly underutilized and the scheme is focusing more on meeting the deadlines and facing challenges in large scale community mobilization. The CGWB’s 2023 report published in June 2024 shows that the situation is worsening contradicting MoJS claim that the groundwater depletion situation is improving. About 87% of total groundwater extraction is used in farming.

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Wetlands

World Wetlands Day 2025: Ten Positive Stories from Urban India

February 4, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Dharmesh Barai, who leads the NGO Environment Life Foundation (ELF), began the “Mangrove Clean-Up Drive” on August 15. Source: TIE)

This compilation highlights ten positive efforts put in to protect the lakes, waterbodies and mangroves in urban India by individuals and environmental groups during 2024. The top ten stories come from five metros: Delhi (3), Mumbai (2), Bengaluru (2), Chennai (2) and Kolkata (1). We are sure such positive actions also happened in other cities in 2024, but we could not find them.

We have also compiled the top ten positive wetlands reports from the countryside here. Also see overviews on the worsening plight of Ramsar wetlands, deteriorating situation of wetlands in India in general and some important judicial interventions concerning protection and management of wetlands in the country that have taken place during the past one year.

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Wetlands

World Wetlands Day 2025: More Judicial Decisions, Less Actions by Govts

February 2, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Part of a marsh land already covered by residential buildings in Asan river basin in Dehradun being filled up further in May 2024. BS Rawat/SANDRP)

In third part of annual overview, we compile top ten judicial decisions taken during 2024 by various courts regarding protection and conservation wetlands in India. The first part of the overview has covered the looming threats on Ramsar sites and the second part has highlighted the deteriorating condition wetlands in the country.

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Wetlands

WWD 2024: Citizens Efforts to Protect Wetlands & Mangroves in Mumbai

February 3, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Navi Mumbai Environmentalists Rally Against CIDCO’s Neglect Of Protected Chanakya Lake. Source: FPJ, Jan. 2024)

The citizen groups in Mumbai including Vanshakti, Save Navi Mumbai Environment Group, NatConnect, Environment Life Foundation and others have for years been making significant efforts to save the remaining wetlands and mangroves in and around Mumbai from ill-conceived developmental projects and abuses. During 2023 they continued their mission through peaceful protests, filing RTIs, writing letters to all concerned and even approaching courts to protect every single piece of wetlands and mangroves in and around the city. They have got some successes and even faced many dead-end situations but carried on the cause of wetlands and mangroves. This report compiles top ten mangroves and wetlands development from Mumbai region along with highlighting the persistent efforts of the citizen groups.

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Wetlands

WWD 2024: Top Ten Citizens Actions for Wetlands Protection in India

February 2, 2024March 21, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

Celebrating World Wetlands Day (WWD) 2024, this article compiles top ten inspiring reports showcasing how the relentless efforts by individuals, citizen groups and community have been successful in protection and reviving of wetlands, mangroves, waterbodies and lakes in India during 2023. Please also see part 1, part 2, part 3 and part 4 of the yearend overviews documenting the status of Ramsar and other wetlands, relevant government decisions and judicial intervention regarding protection of wetlands in the country during the past one year.

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Wetlands

WWD 2024: Top Ten Judicial Actions for Wetlands in India

February 1, 2024February 4, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: A file picture of garbage dumping extending to an additional patch of land at the Pallikaranai marshland. Source: ToI)

The fourth part of the wetlands overview 2023 covers the top ten judicial interventions for the protection of wetlands including Ramsar sites in India. The report shows that the judiciary is increasingly petitioned with legal disputes as the governmental bodies dealing with urban authorities and particularly the regulators have been failing to check unabated pollution and encroachments of the wetlands in their jurisdiction. The legal cases pertaining to encroachments and degradation of Ramsar sites and other wetlands in Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Ladakh, Bhoj lake in Bhopal, Tampara lake in Odisha and Sundarbans in West Bengal clearly indicate the fate of lesser known but equally important water bodies in the country. Overall, the judiciary seems to be finding it tough to stir executioners and unwilling governments and is not equally effective everywhere. However, it has made some landmark orders.

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Wetlands

WWD 2024: Lot of schemes for India’s Wetlands-Little Credible Action

February 1, 2024February 4, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: A view of the Bahour Lake near Puducherry. Photo Credit: S.S. Kumar/The Hindu)

On the World Wetlands Day (WWD) 2024, this report compiles top ten developments related to Central and state govt actions for wetlands in India. The year 2023 has seen release of first water body survey and launch of Amrit Dharohar & MISHTI schemes by central govt. India has signed institutional framework agreement for the Central Asian Flyway (CAF) to strengthen conservation efforts for migratory birds and their habitats.

The state govts have announced more wetland plans which are becoming a routine with no change in ground situation. Despite judicial intervention the respective govts have not taken necessary actions to protect and restore Najafgarh jheel, Dhanauri wetlands and wetlands in Goa. Broadly, the year 2023 has passed with no remarkable achievement on govt front which provide hope for better future for India’s wetlands. Please see the first and second parts of yearend overviews covering the status of Ramsar sites and other wetlands in India.

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Wetlands

WWD 2024: Both Wetlands & Human Beings Remain Neglected

January 31, 2024February 4, 2024 SANDRP2 Comments

(Feature Image: Struggling for survival: The harrowing lives of Anchar Lake Nadru harvesters. The Nadru harvesters highlight the lack of safety measures, as they can only afford low-quality wetsuits. Haseeb Ibm Hameed/Greater Kashmir)

While the theme for World Wetlands Day (WWD) 2024 is Wetlands and Human beings, this compilation of top ten wetlands (other than Ramsar Wetlands) reports reveals that on ground most of the wetlands and dependent people in India continue to be subject of degradation and neglect primarily due to absence of holistic restoration plans and clearly defined wetlands governance. The first of the series covering the worrying condition of Ramsar Wetlands sites in the country can be seen here.

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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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