Parbati-II Leakage disaster in Himachal Pradesh in Nov 2023

November 20, 2023November 20, 2023 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Water stream flowing though Parbati -II hydro project tunnel on Nov. 17, 2023. Image Source: Divya Himachal)

The controversial Parbati-II hydro power project has suffered another major setback after massive water leakages was witnessed from the drainage gallery of its power house in the evening on Nov 17, 2023. The sudden gushing down of water from the tunnel caused panic among project staff and local people. About two dozen workers had to run away to save their lives. The water leakages resembled a flowing river as seen in this video report by Divya Himachal.

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Char Dham Highway

Nov 2023 Uttarakhand Barkot-Silkyara Tunnel Disaster: Where is rescue plan?

November 15, 2023November 16, 2023 SANDRP1 Comment

(Feature Image: Rescue operation underway at the collapse section of an under-construction tunnel between Silkyara and Dandalgaon on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri national highway in Uttarkashi. Image Source: PTI/ News18)

More than 72 hours have passed since 40 workers were trapped inside Barkot-Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi after a portion of the 4.5 km long, supposedly completed portion of the tunnel collapsed early morning on Sunday, Nov 12 2023. The rescue operation is going on as we write this on Wednesday, Nov 15 2023 morning and might take another day before the trapped workers are evacuated safely. While we all pray for the success of rescue operations and safety of the trapped workers; the incident has once again raised several questions over negligence in planning, appraisal & construction, absence of emergency rescue plan, violations of labour laws and environmental norms resulting in this avoidable accident.

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Cloud Burst

Himachal Pradesh 2023: How we are turning ‘Cloudbursts’ into Deadly Disasters

November 9, 2023January 3, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Primary School Building in Kuklah, Mandi buried under ‘cloudburst’ induced flashflood debris. Source: ETV Bharat)

In South West Monsoon season 2023, the hilly state of Himachal Pradesh has witnessed several ‘cloudburst’ incidents adding to the death tolls and infrastructural destruction on account of excessive rains, landslides and flash floods. SANDRP has compiled a detailed report on the subject here and this account highlights the summary of the report. Our previous analysis on ‘cloudburst’ incident in Himachal Pradesh state can be seen here 2022 (39 incidents); 2021(30 incidents); 2020 (3 incidents); 2019 (16 incidents); 2018 (21 incidents).

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DRP News Bulletin

DRP 091023: MoEF Panel concerned about impacts of Small Hydro

October 9, 2023February 27, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(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.

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DRP News Bulletin

DRP 250923: World Rivers vs Indian Rivers on Rivers Day 2023

September 25, 2023February 27, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(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.

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Hydro Disaster

More Himachal Pradesh Hydro Projects damaged in flashfloods in July-Aug 2023

September 13, 2023January 3, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Heavy vehicles stuck in Machchhetar nulla near Kuther HEP Adit 3 tunnel in Bharmour tehsil of Chamba after August 25, 2023 cloud burst induced flash flood. Image Source: Screen shot of Himachali Vlogger Balwant Kapoor You Tube video)

In July and August 2023, two more hydro electric power (HEP) projects have faced cloud burst induced flash flood destruction in Himachal Pradesh. The first one is Kuther HEP in Chamba district and the second one is Pittkari HEP in Mandi district. The details of 2 HEPs (14 MW GreenKo HEP in Sutlej basin, Shimla and 66 MW Dhaulasiddh HEP in Beas basin, Hamirpur) earlier impacted by cloudbursts induced deluge in last week of June 2023 can be seen here.

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DRP News Bulletin

DRP 04092023: Will National Ganga Mission too fail to clean up Ganga?

September 4, 2023February 27, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Untreated industrial effluents being dumped in Drain No. 6, Sonipat in May 2023.)

More than 7 years have passed since the central government launched Rs. 20, 000 crores Namami Gange Programme in May 2015 replacing Ganga Action Plan (GAP) and created National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) a nodal agency to implement the programme.

The NMCG has already missed the target of cleaning the Ganga by 2019 and then by 2020 due to improper planning and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) as accepted by G. Asok Kumar, Director General (DG), NMCG in an interview to The Week in January 2023 further extending the target to 2026.

Though Namami Gange aimed to adopt a basin wise approach with focus on e-flows, afforestation, revival of tributaries, biodiversity conservation in participatory manner; so far it has extensively worked on creation of sewage treatment infrastructures in the states along the main stem of the river.

Despite that the ground situation is far from improving as shown in the The Hindu report below which reveals that about 80 percent of the overall budget is being spent on sewage infrastructure creation and by 2026, the treatment plants capacity would be able to treat at the most 60 percent of sewage generated only along the main stem of the Ganga river.

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DRP News Bulletin

DRP 280823: Defund nature destroying activities

August 28, 2023February 27, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Construction work of World Bank funded 444Mw Vishugad-Pipaltkoti hydro dam project is going. The Developer have been found dumping muck in massive amount in river and carrying out blasting work evening during monsoon time. Image Source: Social Media)

This is indeed the key message if we are serious about tackling climate change with any sincerity. The adverse impacts of mindless activities in the name of development, are acting as force multipliers for climate change impacts as we are experiencing first hand, latest example being in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.

Particularly when the “development” activities are done without credible project specific and cumulative impact assessment, genuine public consultation process and confidence inspiring monitoring and compliance processes, as is the norm.

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Yamuna River

Uttarakhand: Aug 2023 Landslide Renders Jakhan in Yamuna Valley Inhabitable

August 28, 2023August 29, 2023 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Landslide damaged homes in Jakhan village, Dehradun. Image source: Social Media)

The Jakhan village in Yamuna valley suffered a huge landslide in noon hours of August 16, 2023. The village is populated by 28 families. The incident has reportedly damaged 10 houses and 07 cowsheds fully and 02 houses partially apart from impacting a power transmission tower of Power Transmission Corp of Uttarakhand Ltd (PTCUL) forcing the villagers to take refuge in nearby primary school of village Pashta.

The village is part of Binhar region situated about 5 km uphill the power station of 120 Mw Vyasi Hydro Electric Power (HEP) Project on Yamuna river. The Vyasi Project is in Hathyari village of Vikas Nagar tehsil in Dehradun district. Before the fateful incident, the area had witnessed prolonged rain spells and the villagers had seen small cracks around the village.

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DRP News Bulletin

DRP 140823: A year after Karam dam disaster: people suffer, engineer set free, contractor building more dams

August 14, 2023February 27, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Breach in Karam dam, Madhya Pradesh. Source:- Social Media)

It was on Aug 13, 2022, a year ago when the Karam dam wall in Dhar district in Madhya Pradesh started leaking water. Two days later it collapsed. The people who suffered during the disaster continue to suffer. The engineers who were supposed to ensure proper construction of the dam, following all the norms, did not do that, were supposed to be suspended, but got reinstated elsewhere. They kept quiet in the courts. The black listed contractor continues to build more dams.

A clearer evidence of the nexus that supports unwanted, destructive, costly, corruption ridden and disastrous dams would be difficult to find. As the destruction due to dams and such other unaccountable infrastructure development plays out in Himachal Pradesh & elsewhere this year, the nexus that thrives on opaque, unaccountable and non-participatory governance continues to happily grow even as the changing rainfall patterns bring greater disasters before our eyes.

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