The criticisms of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on January 30 about the report of the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), set up under the Environment Protection Act 1986 in late 1990s is rather mild and seems symbolic, but it has the potential of open up a pandora’s box since CGWA has essentially totally failed in doing anything effective about groundwater regulation in India.
Continue reading “DRP 090226: NGT Critiques Shoddy CGWA report”Tag: Ganga
DRP 020226: Karnataka High Court Monitored Probe into sand mining menace?
An interesting sequence of events in Karnataka has led to the High Court Chief Justice taking up a suo moto case and suggesting a court monitored probe into the illegal sand mining menace in the state. One hopes this leads to a proper independent investigation, monitored by the High Court, culminating in ensuring community have the key role in monitoring and compliance of sand mining in their respective area, since that is the most important missing link in governance of sand mining.
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2025: Env & Forest Clearance Decisions on Dams, Hydro, Irrigation Projects
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.
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DRP 291225: Looking back on 2025, Looking forward to 2026
(Feature Image: Ramganga river at Marchula on Nov. 03, 2025. SANDRP)
As the year 2025 ends, reflecting on the DRP related developments over the year and even in this last DRP of 2025, one cannot but see largely pessimistic situation for India’s Rivers, Water Bodies, Hills and Mountains, Floodplains, and for the environment in general. As we saw during South West Monsoon 2025, the flood disasters have been so severe that the number of deaths in South Ais are the highest among all climate disasters of 2025 according to the just released Christian Aid report. The spread, intensity and frequency of the disasters are only going to increase, but we, including the government and the society seems to show little sincerity in dealing with this.
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DRP 221225: Is it so difficult to understand the importance of Aravalli Mountains?
(Feature Image: Aravalli mountain ranges along the Bewar-Jaipur stretch. Credit.)
Why is it so difficult, for the Union Govt, MoEF, its experts, but most shockingly, for the Supreme Court to understand the importance of Aravalli Mountains – India’s most ancient and ecologically sensitive range? What exactly is driving the unacceptable decision of the apex court? According to the Forest Survey of India, applying the new definition would result in only around 8.7% of the mapped Aravalli landforms being eligible for protection, leaving a substantial portion unregulated.
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DRP 151225: Hydro Projects continue to provide troubling news
(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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DRP 081225: India Needs Effective Measures to Check Sedimentation of Dams
(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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DRP 011225: Do we know how big is the GLOF threat in the Himalayan states?
(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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DRP 241125: Judiciary’s ineffectiveness on Rivers Pollution issues
(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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WFD 2025: New Freshwater Fish Discoveries from India
(Feature Image: The new species of cyprinid from the Brahmaputra River. Source)
Amid rising threats, the researchers continue to discover new freshwater fish species in India mostly from North East and Western Ghats as shows this overview, prepared on the occasion of World Fisheries Day (WFD) 2025. This is fourth overview and we have covered positive developments, impact of dams, important studies on the subject taking place during the past one year in first, second and third parts of the series.
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