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).
Continue reading “EAC & FAC Decisions on Dams, Hydro, Irrigation Projects in 2024”Tag: FAC
DRP NB 200524: After Ten years of Namami Gange and Rs 40 000 Cr expenditure Ganga remains dirty
(Feature Image: Untreated effluents being discharged in Gang river through ‘Chor’ nullah in Kanpur on May 19, 2024. Image Source: Sceenshot of ABC News Media report)
The reports this week from Ganga basin rivers clearly show that after ten years of Namami Gange and NMCG (National Mission for Clean Ganga) efforts and expenditure of over Rs 40 000 Cr, there is no improvement in even river pollution, leave aside the state of river flows or state of the rivers in the Ganga basin.
In fact, there is nothing to show that even the new STPs are making any difference to the river even with respect to the limited objective of sewage treatment. As highlighted in the report below, until and unless the governance of STPs become more transparent, accountable and participatory, there is no hope for change, no matter how much money is spent, how much new STP capacity is added or what technology is used. Only a responsive, confidence inspiring governance can make a difference. But there is no interest in working in that direction from the government.
Continue reading “DRP NB 200524: After Ten years of Namami Gange and Rs 40 000 Cr expenditure Ganga remains dirty”2023: EAC & FAC Decisions on Dams, Hydro, Irrigation Projects
(Feature Image: Yamuna river deprived of e-flows downstream 120 Mw Vyasi HEP dam in Dehradun, Uttarakhand in June 2023. Bhim Singh Rawat/SANDRP)
This annual overview examines minutes of meetings held by Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for River Valley and Hydropower Projects between 15 December 2022 and 24 November 2023 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 report further analysis various water projects related proposals considered by the Forest Appraisal Committee (FAC) between 27 December 2022 and 18 December 2023 for Forest Clearances (FC).
Continue reading “2023: EAC & FAC Decisions on Dams, Hydro, Irrigation Projects”DRP NB 091023: MoEF Panel concerned about impacts of Small Hydro
(Gangani SHP on Yamuna river in Uttarkashi affected by June 2013 flash flood. Image: Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan/July 2013)
The Forest Advisory Committee of Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) have rightly raised concerns about the impacts of so called small hydropower projects, that is hydropower projects with capacity below 25 MW. The MoEF assumes, following such unknown science or logic, that such projects have no environment and social impacts, they do not need environment and social impact assessments or management plan, they do not need any public consultation process, they do not need any monitoring or compliance and most significantly, they do not even need any clearances! A more unscientific thinking of the govt of India’s top environmental body would be difficult to find.
Continue reading “DRP NB 091023: MoEF Panel concerned about impacts of Small Hydro”DRP NB 250923: World Rivers vs Indian Rivers on Rivers Day 2023
(Feature Image: Najafgarh drain loaded with polluted water joining River Yamuna downstream Wazirabad barrage in National Capital in June 2023: SANDRP)
Sept 24 is celebrated as the World Rivers day since 2005, the tradition started by river advocate Mark Angelo, who used to celebrate BC (British Columbia in Canada) Rivers day since 1980. There is some good news for rivers across the world in terms of decommissioning of dams, improving environment flows, movements to clean rivers, improve fish migration, protection of flood plains, room for the river, decommissioning of channelisation projects, among others.
Continue reading “DRP NB 250923: World Rivers vs Indian Rivers on Rivers Day 2023”DRP NB 11 April 2022: Ken Betwa Affected people protest land acquisition
The residents of about 15 villages affected by the Ken Betwa link project are opposing the land acquisition process being initiated in violation of all norms have opposed the move. The notices have not been pasted in the affected villages, gram sabhas have not been conducted and the information promised in the notice is not available at the designated places. When question, the Madhya Pradesh officials have responded arrogantly. The history of manipulations and violations that has been the norm every step of the way in Ken Betwa Project continues. In fact the project does not have final forest clearance, its wildlife clearance has been questioned by the Supreme Court appointed Central Empowered Committee and its Environment clearance is under challenge before the National Green Tribunal. In absence of the clearances, the land acquisition should not even be started if there is any place for prudent norms in such projects. It would be best if the government stops the process and starts it only if and when it gets all the clearances and after taking all the concerned into confidence through a prudent confidence inspiring process.
Continue reading “DRP NB 11 April 2022: Ken Betwa Affected people protest land acquisition”MoEF’s FAC declines clearance to Bunder mine in Ken Catchment
Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF)’s Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) meeting held on March 31, 2022, in an important decision[i], has declined to clear a “destructive” diamond mining proposal in the catchment of Ken Betwa Project in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. The High Court has already stayed the mining proposal. The FAC has asked for more information rather than rejecting the proposal.
Continue reading “MoEF’s FAC declines clearance to Bunder mine in Ken Catchment”Environment and Forest Clearances for Dam Projects in 2021
EAC Decisions In the table below, we have given details of the proposals discussed and cleared by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change’s (MoEF) Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for River Valley and Hydropower Projects from Dec. 22, 2020 to Dec. 23, 2021.
Continue reading “Environment and Forest Clearances for Dam Projects in 2021”Ken Betwa project will harm & not help Bundelkhand
People of Bundelkhand certainly need better water access and management as claimed in the Media Briefing Note on the occasion of Union Cabinet clearing the project on Dec 8, 2021. But the Ken Betwa Link Project (KBLP) is not for Bundelkhand, of Bundelkhand or by Bundelkhand. The project will bring unbelievably huge adverse impacts for the Bundelkhand and promises benefits that were promised decades ago, but never realised. In fact much better, cheaper, less impactful and faster options for Bundelkhand exist, if only the government had the will.
Continue reading “Ken Betwa project will harm & not help Bundelkhand”DRP News Bulletin 20 Dec 2021: Judiciary fails the environment AGAIN
By allowing the Char Dham Highway to go ahead, putting aside all the environment, safety, disaster vulnerability and even norms and affidavits of the Ministry of Highways and the Defence Ministry, as well as the report of the expert panel set up by the apex court, the Judiciary has again failed the Environment, among other things. This is contrary to the generally held belief that Judiciary stands up for the cause of the environment. That belief has no real basis, as can be seen again. This is also failure of the governance, experts and environmental groups, besides also the failure of the media too.
Continue reading “DRP News Bulletin 20 Dec 2021: Judiciary fails the environment AGAIN”