DRP 180526: Ethanol Production in Drought prone areas: A false solution?

May 18, 2026May 19, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: AI generated image. Source: National Herald)

The proliferation of sugar mills and sugarcane cultivation in drought prone areas like Marathwada, North Karnataka, Cauvery basin areas in Tamil Nadu has always been a huge scandal, ongoing for decades. Now new dimensions are getting added to this, as the following article this week shows: Ethanol procurement for blending with petrol, now upto 20%, but there are moves afoot to increase it to upto 100%.

The Ethanol does not come just from molasses, a by-product of sugar manufacture, but now even from sugar. Yet another dimension that is getting added is the use of rice and maize also for manufacture of ethanol. Rice itself is hugely water intensive crop, its second stage high water consumption come from manufacture of ethanol from rice. This is being sold as a solution to high import bill in petroleum import, particularly in times of the ongoing Gulf War.

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Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 040526: Fast spreading impacts of climate crisis

May 11, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Binnu river a tributary of Ramganga in Deghat, Almora. SANDRP)

Interestingly, there are a number of developments this week related to climate crisis from at least four states/ Union Territories of Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh, even if we do not include in these other directly or indirectly related developments. These show how fast the impacts of climate crisis across the country are spreading and the number of different sectors are increasingly getting involved in the climate crisis. All these are related to water related issues.

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DRP

DRP 040526: NGT acknowledges vacuous Groundwater Governance in India

May 4, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

It is good to see this week that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has acknowledged the non-existent or vacuous groundwater governance in India at both central and state levels. It was long overdue. It took the judiciary almost three decades to realise this, since the Supreme Court order in late 1990s for setting up Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) under the 1986 Environment Protection Act.

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Dams, Rivers & People · Urban Rivers

DRP 270426: Probe into violations by Pune River Front Development Project

April 27, 2026April 27, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Pune RFD work along Mula Mutha river. Credit: Free Press Journal)

The Maharashtra government order for a probe into the violations of the Environmental Clearance of the controversial Pune River Front Development (RFD) project is noteworthy for a number of aspects. Most importantly, it signifies a significant gain for the critiques of the project, since the probe has been ordered following a letter by environmentalist Sarang Yadwadkar, who has been relentlessly fighting against the project.

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Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 200426: Himachal HC takes cognizance of impact of Hydro Project silt flushing on rivers

April 20, 2026April 20, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Pandoh dam discharging silt laden flood waters in Beas river in Aug. 2025. Source: Amar Ujala)

In a remarkable development, the Himachal High Court has taken cognizance of the impact of silt flushing from the Shanan Hydropower project in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh on the downstream fish, has fined the project Rs 12 lakhs and has ordered scientific monitoring of the future sediment discharge, only to be done after March 1 each year. The order is largely due to the fact that under the Himachal Pradesh Fisheries Act, Nov to Feb is trout breeding season. The order thus is not likely to be applicable for silt flushing by other hydropower projects. It is also good to see that the court has formed a monitoring committee and asked for compliance reports.

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Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 130426: CAG Reveals Governance Failure in J&K Wetlands Management

April 13, 2026April 13, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Cover page of CAG report on Wetlands management in J&K)

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India report is revealing official document on how systemic governance failure has failed the wetlands in Jammu and Kashmir. The fact that 518 out of 697 lakes have shrunk or disappeared, reflects on decades of ineffective policies. As per the report, the multiple departments operated in isolation with no accountability, no shared database and no management plans thus making the wetlands vulnerable to encroachment.

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Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 6 April 2026: CAG Report on DJB indicates fundamental issues

April 6, 2026April 6, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Sewer line cleaning work by DJB in North West Delhi’s Sanjay Colony. Credit: Bhim Singh Rawat/SANDRP)

The Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India Audit of Delhi Jal Board (DJB) for 2017-2022 highlights the fundamental issues facing Urban Water Sector in India. Unfortunately, CAG stops short of reaching the conclusion that lack of National Urban Water Policy and lack of accountable governance are the fundamental issues also plaguing DJB like other Urban Water Bodies in India.

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Dams, Rivers & People · Fish, Fisheries, Fisherfolk

DRP 300326: Sad state of migratory Riverine fish in India

March 30, 2026March 30, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Cover page of CMS summary report on Global Assessment of Migratory Freshwater Fishes)

The key CMS (Conservation of Migratory fish Species) report this week once again highlights the sad state of migratory Riverine fish, fisheries and fisherfolks in India. Shockingly, even when thousands or tens of thousands of fisherfolks lose their livelihoods due to projects on rivers, there is not even assessment of impacts of such projects on fish, fisheries and fisherfolks, leave aside consideration of compensation or rehabilitation for them. The Sardar Sarovar Project on Narmada River in Gujarat, one of the most celebrated dams of India, as an apt example of this situation. Farakka Dam is another such example.

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Climate Change · Dams, Rivers & People · Himalayas

DRP 230326: Small Hydro environment friendly and help community development?

March 23, 2026March 23, 2026 SANDRP2 Comments

(Feature Image: Priyadarshini Small HEP on Manuni khad in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh damaged after flash flood in June 2025. At least 8 workers of the project were also killed in the disaster. Image Source: Gems of Himachal, post on X.)

The impression being given through the following PIB Press Release dated March 18 2026 that this scheme cleared by the Union Cabinet to promote small hydropower projects will promote environment friendly and socio-economically beneficial projects in North East and other hilly areas is incorrect and misleading.

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Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 160326: Urgent need for adaptive reservoir management in India

March 16, 2026March 16, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Vyasi dam on Yamuna river in Uttarakhand. Bhim Singh Rawat/SANDRP)

A detailed report this week in an international Water Power Magazine underlines the urgent need for India, as rest of the world to adopt adaptive reservoir management. This has become urgent as under changing climate, the Probable Maximum Precipitation figures are changing fast. In India, it has already increased by 35% in 84% of mainland. This makes the current reservoir operation models including rule curves and spillway capacities outdated. Human activities in the catchment and aging infrastructure are making the situation worse.

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