DRP 151225: Hydro Projects continue to provide troubling news

December 15, 2025December 15, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Ongoing work at Ratle HEP in June 2025. Source)

There are troubling news reports about a number of hydropower projects, even as the hydro industry tries its best to present a positive picture. NHPC tries to say that one of its 250 MW units at the Subansiri Lower HEP is good news. However, the fact that WII’s several years old recommendation that project should not be used for peaking power generation till studies about its impact on elephant corridor are complete. But the WII recommendation presented at the National Wildlife Board over 22 months ago is yet to be implemented. The serious financial trouble that the project is in, is also apparent from its desperate attempt to use the forest land as collateral, rejected by MoEF. The closing down of the NHPC office for the Subansisi Upper HEP in Upper Subansiri district came following agitation by the students Union and others there opposing the project.

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Dam Safety

2025: Govts, Judiciary Actions on Dam Safety in India

December 13, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Experts visit Srisailam dam to assess its structural safety in May 2025. Source)

At national level, the NDSA has carried safety audit of 1853 large dams out of 6545 as of Nov. 25, 2025. In July 2025, the Central govt announced to reconstitute NCDS for a period of three years. Before this the NDSA in April 2025 organized a symposium on Dam Safety Act 2021. It has also released the updated version of National Register on Specified Dams 2025. At state level, the Tamil Nadu govt in July 2025 has planned to set up separate dam safety wing. The Punjab govt in May 2025 moved resolution in state assembly to annul Dam Safety Act and planned to enact its own dam safety bill.

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Dam Safety

2025: Dam Safety Issues in India

December 12, 2025December 12, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: A worn out portion of Singur dam embankment. Source)

This annual overview presents top ten reports highlighting the dam safety issues in India. Worryingly, the central govt in Oct. 2025 itself has revealed that safety audit of about 5000 large dams is pending. Before this, the NHRC in Feb. 2025 sought a report on safety of the dams across the country. The plea rightly demanded a transparent, accountable and participatory dam safety mechanism to prevent disasters. Indeed, the aging infrastructure, inadequate maintenance, slow progress of rehabilitation and fast changing climate are among the key issues putting our dams under threats.

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Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 081225: India Needs Effective Measures to Check Sedimentation of Dams

December 8, 2025December 8, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Despite HC orders, NHAI, Railways continue illegal dumping of landslide debris. Source)

In a reply in Lok Sabha on Dec. 04, the Ministry of Jal Shakti has revealed that 24 reservoirs in Punjab (14), Himachal Pradesh (9) and Haryana (1) have collectively lost about one fifth of their storage capacity due to sedimentation. Indeed, for years the sedimentation has become a major problem reducing the storage capacity of dams across the country. As a solution the respective governments have mainly relied on desilting which has largely remained limited to plans and in some cases have not achieved the intended purpose. In case of Bhakra the central govt has again mainly focused on desilting as solution.

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Dam floods · Urban Flood · Urban Rivers

2025: Dam Induced Urban Floods in India

December 7, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: The Musi river in flood spate in Hyderabad on Sept 27, 2025 following incessant rains and the lifting of gates at the overflowing Osman Sagar and Himayatsagar reservoirs. Credit: Nagara Gopal )

In 2025, we could find reports on two Indian cities facing the impact of dam induced floods. While the excessive discharges by Himayat Sagar reservoir severely inundated residential areas along Musi river in Hyderabad in last week of Sept 2025, the significant releases by Ukai dam authority into Tapi river affected daily life in Surat city twice in mid Aug and first week of Sept. 2025.

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Dam floods · Fly Ash Bund Breach

2025: Fly Ash Dam Breach Flood in India

December 6, 2025December 6, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: HTPS fly ash dam breach floods farmlands in Korba in June 2025. Source)

In 2025 we could find one incident of fly ash dam breach flood in India. The incident happened in Dindolbhantha village area near Chhirhut under Katghora tehsil of Korba district in Chhattisgarh on June 26, 2025. The fly ash dam covering around 60 ha is created by Chhattisgarh State Power Generation Company (CSPGC) formerly known as Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board (CSEB) to store fly ash slurry from 840 Mw (210X4) Hasdeo Thermal Power Station (HTPS) also known as Korba West Thermal Power Station (KWTPS).

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Dam Induced Flood Disaster

2025: Dam Induced Flood Incidents in India

December 5, 2025December 10, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Locals assist in moving flood affected people to a safer place as floodwater enters villages in Ajnala, near Amritsar. Source)

India has witnessed several incidents of dam induced floods during south west monsoon 2025. The most remarkable and devastating episode unfolded in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh states in August 2025 largely due to mismanagement of Bhakra, Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams by BBMB. While negligence of BBMB has invited FIRs in Himachal Pradesh, warnings by Punjab govt and petition in NGT, there is no report in public domain suggesting the authority taking any credible action to make its dam operation scientific and accountable after the disaster.

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Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 011225: Do we know how big is the GLOF threat in the Himalayan states?

December 1, 2025December 1, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Thousands of Glacial lakes dot the Himalayas. Source: NYT)

The following brilliant report on the threat of GLOFs (Glacial Lake Outburst Floods) is noteworthy from many perspectives. But possibly the most important one is to show the unknown but huge dimensions of the threat. Each of the thousands and thousands of glacial lakes in the Himalayas could pose such a threat. Alarmingly, no one can predict in most of these cases, when this threat will materialize, how big the floods it will bring and what will be the dimensions of the downstream impacts.

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Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 241125: Judiciary’s ineffectiveness on Rivers Pollution issues

November 24, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Luni river filled with untreated effluents from Balotra dyeing industries on Nov. 12, 2025. Source: Earth Warrior)

While there is no success story of water pollution control in India, where pollution control boards can claim credit for such success, the judiciary also has a significant role in ensuring pollution control in rivers and other water bodies. The state of rivers and other water bodies in India shows how ineffective has been the judiciary in India. Two cases from this week again provides an opportunity to correct this situation: one a suo moto case in the Supreme Court related to Rajasthan Rivers like Jojari, Bandi and Luni and another one in the Delhi High Court related to Yamuna river in the National Capital.

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Climate Change · Himalayas · Hydro Disaster · River Valley Projects

2025: Hydro Projects Accidents & Disasters in Himalaya

November 15, 2025November 16, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

The accidents and disasters occurring particularly during monsoon months have affected several Hydro Electric Projects (HEP) both built and under construction in Himalayan states of India. In this overview, we put together information about such disasters to underline their increasing vulnerabilities to climatic disasters endangering the lives of workers and local people living in the vicinity of these projects.

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