2025: Corruption in Dams and Hydro Projects in India

December 19, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Washed out Teesta III dam in Sikkim. Credit: Save the Hills)

In May 2025, Sikkim Vigilance Police conducted raid in several cities to probe allegations of financial corruption and fraud in 1200 Mw Teesta III HEP dam project claiming that the material gathered could unearth massive scandal that compromised the dam’s safety and led to its structural failure in Oct. 2023. The Assam GST department in Sept. 2025 has uncovered ₹8.2 cr irregularities in tax filings and transactions by the company involved in constructing the dam of 2000 Mw Subansiri Lower HEP.

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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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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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Climate Change · Cloud Burst · Dams · Hydro Disaster

June 2025: NHPC Parbati II, III HEPs damaged in floods

June 29, 2025June 29, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Screen shot of remaining portion of washed away tin-shed of NHPC’s Parbati II HEP)

In addition to severely damaging the Jiwa and Priyadarshini small hydro power projects, the ‘cloudburst’ induced flash floods on June 25, 2025 has also significantly affected the Parbati II & III projects in Sainj Valley of Kullu district in Himachal Pradesh.

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Climate Change · Cloud Burst · Hydro Disaster

June 2025: ‘Cloudburst’ damages Jiwa hydro project in Sainj Valley, Himachal Pradesh

June 27, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Submerged powerhouse of Jiwa SHP in Siund, Sainj. Source: Amar Ujala)

A massive flash flood following a ‘cloudburst’ has totally damaged the powerhouse and weir site of the Jiwa Small Hydroelectric Project (SHP) in Sainj Valley of Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh on June 25, 2025. The powerhouse of 1 Mw SHP is located in Siund village area near the confluence point of Jiwa nullah with Pin Parbati river. Its weir site is located about 2 km upstream on the Jiwa stream.

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Hydro Power Projects

Subansiri Lower HEP faces damages in 2025 like in every year since 2019

June 17, 2025June 17, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

“The commissioning of the Subansiri Lower Hydro Electric Project (SLHEP) has been further delayed till May 2026” NHPC has now acknowledged. In a report filed by PTI, the project developer has acknowledged on June 12 2025 that the controversial 2000 MW Hydropower project on Subansiri River in Brahmaputra basin on Assam-Arunachal border “has suffered “minor damages” during the recent monsoon rains”. The suggestion that the damages were minor may not be accurate considering the consequences of project delay.

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Dams

EAC & FAC Decisions on Dams, Hydro, Irrigation Projects in 2024

January 17, 2025January 18, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

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).

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Dam Safety · Hydro Disaster

2024: Climate Change, GLOF impact on Safety of Hydro, Dams in India

January 6, 2025January 11, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Powerhouse of a hydro project ravaged by cloudburst induced flashflood in Sutlej basin Shimla, Himachal Pradesh in Aug 2024. Image Source: Social Media)

This 2024 annual overview focusses on important reports highlighting the safety and sustainability issues of the hydro and dam projects in India in 2024 in the context of Climate Change, including Glacier melt and GLOFs. The compilation shows that the climate change driven extreme weather events have become significant threat for the structural safety of these projects.

This is even more relevant in inherently vulnerable areas like the Himalayas and Western Ghats from the point of view of seismic activity, young erosion prone mountain, flash floods, avalanches and landslides. Here the impact of climate change effects like more intensified hydrological cycles, cloud bursts, reduction in snow fall, glacier melts and GLOF (Glacier Lake Outburst Flood) increase the vulnerability including landslide dams and avalanche dams.

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DRP News Bulletin

DRP NB 060125: Concerns about & Contradictions in CGWB’s Reports

January 6, 2025January 6, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) released two important reports last week. While the Annual Ground Water Quality Report 2024 reveals rise in nitrate fluoride, arsenic and uranium contimination of groundwater resource in India, the Dynamic Groundwater Resource Assessment Report 2024 claims substantial rise in annual groundwater recharge and decline in extraction of the resource.

As per the first report, the number of districts affected by high nitrate levels in groundwater has gone up to 440 (near 56% of all 779 districts in country) from 359 found in 2017 assessment which means in 7 years 81 more districts have been found having excessive nitrate levels in groundwater. This should concern us from a number of points of view.

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Dams, Rivers & People

2024: People’s Resistance against Dam, Hydro Projects in Himalayan States

December 21, 2024January 18, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Tribals in Siang river belt in Arunachal Pradesh demonstrating against a proposed mega hydropower dam. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement/The Hindu)

All through 2024, the vulnerable communities across Himalayan states have continued their resistance and struggles against proposed, under construction & damaged hydro and dam projects as can be seen in this yearend roundup.

The tribals in Siang valley have been urging Central and State govts to stop pushing the giant SUMP. In Teesta valley the GLOF, flood and landslide though have served as wake-up call, the planners seem to ignore the warnings. Facing adverse impacts, the native people in Manipur have resolved to stop further extension to Loktak lake HEP. In Nagaland, fearing damages, the villagers have made the future of Dikhu HEP uncertain.

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