Tag: Water

DRP 151225: Hydro Projects continue to provide troubling news
Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 151225: Hydro Projects continue to provide troubling news

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(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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Feb. 2025: Srisailam Dam Left Bank Tunnel Collapse Disaster
Dam Disaster

Feb. 2025: Srisailam Dam Left Bank Tunnel Collapse Disaster

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(Feature Image: A rescue worker at the SLBC tunnel. Credit: Nagara Gopal)

The SLCB tunnel collapse in Feb. 2025 is among worst dam-tunnel disaster this year in India. The incident occurred just four days after resuming tunneling work after a long halt killing at least 8 workers. Despite, two-month long multi agency search operation only two bodies were retrieved while mortals of six still remain buried inside the tunnel. The TBM involved in tunnelling has also been damaged. Given risky situation the rescue work was stopped in April end and there is no update on the same so far. Nearly 10 months after the disaster, there is no official report probing the reasons and addressing the concerns over inadequate geological, geotechnical inspections.

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DRP 081225: India Needs Effective Measures to Check Sedimentation of Dams
Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 081225: India Needs Effective Measures to Check Sedimentation of Dams

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(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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2025: Fly Ash Dam Breach Flood in India
Dam floods · Fly Ash Bund Breach

2025: Fly Ash Dam Breach Flood in India

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(Feature Image: HTPS fly ash dam breach floods farmlands in Korba in June 2025. Source)

In 2025 we could find one incident of fly ash dam breach flood in India. The incident happened in Dindolbhantha village area near Chhirhut under Katghora tehsil of Korba district in Chhattisgarh on June 26, 2025. The fly ash dam covering around 60 ha is created by Chhattisgarh State Power Generation Company (CSPGC) formerly known as Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board (CSEB) to store fly ash slurry from 840 Mw (210X4) Hasdeo Thermal Power Station (HTPS) also known as Korba West Thermal Power Station (KWTPS).

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DRP 011225: Do we know how big is the GLOF threat in the Himalayan states?
Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 011225: Do we know how big is the GLOF threat in the Himalayan states?

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(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
Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 241125: Judiciary’s ineffectiveness on Rivers Pollution issues

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(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: Mass Fish Death in Lakes, Ponds in India
Fish, Fisheries, Fisherfolk

WFD 2025: Mass Fish Death in Lakes, Ponds in India

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(Feature Image: Dead fish being removed from Budha Sagar pond in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh in 1st week on Nov. 2025. Source)

This compilation documents over three dozen incidents of mass fish death that occurred in water bodies including lakes, ponds, tanks and Ramsar wetlands located in Urban and Rural areas across India so far in 2025. Interestingly, most of these incidents are reported just before or after south west monsoon. In urban water bodies sewage contamination, water stagnation, dumping of solid waste have become common reasons for sudden fish mortality. These incidents are quite frequent even in the historic lakes and religious ponds in many cities despite crores of rupees spent in their maintenance by local agencies which is mainly limited to their beatification.

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WFD 2025: Mass Fish Death in Indian Rivers
Dams · Fish, Fisheries, Fisherfolk

WFD 2025: Mass Fish Death in Indian Rivers

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(Feature Image: Thousands of fish found dead in Mula-Mutha river near Naik Bet, a river island at Bund Garden in last week of Dec. 2024. Source)

Indian rivers continue to witness mass fish death incidents all through the year 2025. Most of these incidents we were able to track have occurred in urban rivers across the country including Mula-Mutha in Pune, Yamuna in Delhi, Gomti in Lucknow and Varuna in Varanasi. Mass fish mortality cases have also happened in streams passing through Nalagarh & Pithampur industrial areas of Himachal Pradesh & Madhya Pradesh. These streams are part of Sutlej-Ghaggar-Yamuna-Chambal river basins & have been facing large scale fish death for years.

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DRP 101125: Does the world still need the annual jamboree of COP, given its record?
Climate Change · DRP News Bulletin

DRP 101125: Does the world still need the annual jamboree of COP, given its record?

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(Feature image is from the New York Times)

The annual Conference of Parties (COP) on climate change begins its annual meeting in Brazil today. Consider the track record of the annual meetings so far, it is a valid question to ask, as the Question of Cities asks, Does the World still need this meeting with such a huge carbon footprint of its own? Is it a futile exercise now?

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DRP 271025: Without reliable data, is there any hope for our Rivers?
Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 271025: Without reliable data, is there any hope for our Rivers?

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(Feature Image: Drain No. 2 carrying untreated effluents in Yamuna river in Panipat. March 30, 2025, SANDRP)

The following report this week about lack of reliable data on Rivers raises right questions, including if there is any hope for our rivers without such reliable data? The report however, misses the point that Central Water Commission, which works more like a lobby for large dams, has clearly no interest in sustaining, reviving or rejuvenating our works.

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