This analysis tracks the decisions taken by Union Ministry of Environment and Forests’ (MoEF) Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for River Valley and Hydropower Projects between Jan. 10 and Dec. 19, 2025 regarding Dams, Hydroelectric Power (HEP), Pumped Storage Projects (PSP) and Irrigation related proposals seeking Terms of Reference (TOR) for Environmental Impact Assessments and Environment Clearance (EC) approvals. It also covers various water projects related proposals considered by the MoEF’s Forest Appraisal Committee (FAC) between 27 Jan. to Dec. 02, 2025 for Forest Clearances (FC) approvals. SANDRP’s 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2020 overviews on the subject can be seen by clicking the hyperlinks.
Continue reading “2025: Env & Forest Clearance Decisions on Dams, Hydro, Irrigation Projects”Tag: Forest Clearance
2025: Pump Storage Projects Developments in India
(Feature Image: Former SC judge N. Santosh Hegede, environmentalist Suresh Heblekar and other activists stage a protest urging the govt to abandon the Sharavati PSP on Nov. 29. Source)
2025 has seen increase in concerns and protests against pump storage projects (PSP) across the country. While citizens and experts have criticized Sharavathi PSP in Karnataka, Sillahalla PSP in Tamil Nadu, Shahbad PSP in Rajasthan, Bargi PSP in Madhya pradesh and numerous PSPs in western ghats in Maharashtra for their potential adverse impacts on forest, environment, endangered animals, the Sileru, Pedikota and Yerravaram PSPs in Andhra Pradesh faced resistance for undermining tribal and forest rights. Indeed, most of the PSPs are being proposed in sensitive region of Western Ghats and tribal dominated population endangering both the wildlife and vulnerable population.
Continue reading “2025: Pump Storage Projects Developments in India”
EAC & FAC Decisions on Dams, Hydro, Irrigation Projects in 2024
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”
2022: Environment & Forest Clearances to Dams, Hydro, Irrigation Projects
On the basis of minutes of meetings held by Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change’s (MoEF) Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for River Valley and Hydropower Projects from January 12, 2022 to November 30, 2022; we present region wise details of various Dams, Hydroelectric Power (HEP), Pumped Storage Hydro Projects (PSHP) and Irrigation Projects proposals considered and approved for Terms of Reference (TOR) and Environment Clearance (EC) by the EAC. It also lists out various water projects related proposals seeking Forest Clearances (FC) from and decisions by the Forest Appraisal Committee (FAC) of MoEF in this period.
SANDRP’s 2020 and 2021 overviews on the subject can be seen by clicking the links. You may also like to visit our 2022 overviews on (1) Dam induced floods & damages, (2) Fly ash dam breach incidents, (3) Impact of floods on Polavaram project, (4) People’s resistance against dams and hydro projects, (5) Disasters and accidents at HEPs sites, (6) Dam Safety Issues, (7) Hydro projects opposition and accidents in South Asia.
Continue reading “2022: Environment & Forest Clearances to Dams, Hydro, Irrigation Projects”
Manipur’s Ejei river blocking landslide at under construction railway line involved violations, no EIA, NGT pending case
Eighteen Territorial Army personnel among 24 people were killed in a massive landslide in Manipur’s Noney district[i] on Wednesday (June 29, 2022), and at least another 40, including 18 soldiers, are feared trapped or buried in the rubble of an under-construction railway yard. An adjoining construction camp and security camp engulfed in the avalanche of rock and mud.[ii] The Railway line is under construction since a decade.
Continue reading “Manipur’s Ejei river blocking landslide at under construction railway line involved violations, no EIA, NGT pending case”
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”
EAC and FAC Decisions on Hydro Projects during 2020
(Feature image: Yamuna river at Lakhwar dam site, April 2019. Bhim Singh Rawat/SANDRP)
Details of proposals related to hydro power projects discussed by Expert Appraisal Committee for River Valley Projects during Dec 2019-Feb. 2021
Continue reading “EAC and FAC Decisions on Hydro Projects during 2020”
DRP News Bulletin 15 October 2018: Reuters Corroborates that Dams Played Major Role in Kerala Floods
DRP News Bulletin 15 October 2018: Reuters Corroborates that Dams Played Major Role in Kerala Floods
International news agency, after independent research, have corroborated what SANDRP has been saying: Mismanagement of dams played big role in worsening Kerala floods.
-“The release could have started earlier so that by Aug. 9 there would have been left-over capacities in the reservoirs to store the water,” said Biswajit Mukhopadhyay, director of water resources at U.S-based engineering firm IEA, who analysed some of the publicly available data at the request of Reuters.
– Still, dozens of flood victims interviewed by Reuters, who live in villages dotting the banks of Kerala’s biggest river, the 244 km Periyar, say they faced no floods despite torrential rain in late July and early August. All of them said waters only rose overnight on Aug. 15. That was when more intense rainfall forced KSEB to rapidly ramp-up releases of water from Idukki and Idamalayar reservoirs, which feed into the Periyar.
– Kerala’s revenue secretary and head of disaster management, P.H. Kurien, told Reuters he has twice written to KSEB requesting EAPs and has yet to receive them. KSEB’s Pillai said EAPs and dam operation manuals were still being prepared. CWC said it was working with Kerala’s government to speed this up. The Kerala Chief Minister’s office did not respond to requests for comment. https://widerimage.reuters.com/story/did-dams-make-indias-once-in-century-floods-worse (11 Oct. 2018)
And this fantastic infographic: https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/rngs/INDIA-FLOOD/010080MF18N/index.html (11 Oct. 2018)
Pawai Dam Project displacing people without Rehabilitation, allege PAFs
Above: Broken, Silted Canals of under construction Pawai Project on Ken River in MP (SANDRP photo)
The Ken Yatra while going through the Panna district were told by Project Affected People that the Pawai Medium Irrigation Project (PMP) under construction is displacing the people without just compensation or rehabilitation.
The Ken Yatra observed that the construction work of the PMP is happening in full swing in Madhya Pradesh. The dam is being built at ‘Tendu Ghat’ on Ken River in Panna district to supply irrigation water to 9952 hectares (the board at the project site erroneously says it will irrigate 30 000 ha) of agricultural land falling in Pawai and Gunnor tehsils. The construction work also involves creation of a massive canal, including a few aqua-ducts on Ken river and its tributaries. Continue reading “Pawai Dam Project displacing people without Rehabilitation, allege PAFs”
REUTER’s biased, misleading, erroneous reporting about Ken Betwa Project
ABOVE: A fabulous view of Ken river. Nesting sites of Long-billed vultures are to the right. All will go under water if Ken-Betwa linkup is carried out, Photo by AJT Johnsingh
On Sept 1, 2017, Reuters published a report[i] about Interlinking of Rivers, with focus on Modi flagging off work on Ken Betwa Project. The report was carried VERY widely, including in local, national and international media. [This note was sent as a letter to a number of persons at Reuters and Thomson Reuters on Sept 2, 2017, there has been no response so far as I publish this several hours later.]
Unfortunately, it’s a biased, very misleading, erroneous report with factual inaccuracies that one does not expect in a Reuters report. Continue reading “REUTER’s biased, misleading, erroneous reporting about Ken Betwa Project”
SANDRP 