DRP 280926: Early Warning System important, but not a magic bullet

September 28, 2026September 28, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Aerial image of the Wanlixi landslide and lake as of 30 July 2026. Credit: Forestry & Nature Conservation Agency, Taiwan, Source: EOS.Org)

While writing about the landslide dam breach in Taiwan last year leading to 24 deaths, Dave Petley remarked: As always, the focus should be on vulnerability and resilience rather than only early warning systems (EWS). This is indeed worth emphasizing, underlining, highlighting. While early warning systems can be important and must be used wherever possible, it is not a magic bullet. It is one of the many other instruments in disaster management.

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Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 210926: Mismanagement at BBMB projects confirmed by CEA and Punjab

September 21, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: The Tribune’s file photo of Pandoh dam)

The Central Electricity Authority has said in its report that there have been some serious operational and maintenance issues at BBMB’s Pandoh project, part of Beas Sutlej Link Project. In a separate development, Punjab government affidavit in the NGT has said that due to mismanagement at Bhakra-Pong dams, there has been avoidable flood disasters in Punjab in several years. Both developments confirm what we have said about role of BBMB projects in 2023 and 2025 floods in Punjab.

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DRP 140926: How prepared are we to face Himalayan Disaster Risks?

September 14, 2026September 14, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

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

The Himalayan disaster risks are increasing in several different ways, including through new types of disasters that are being added now as is evident from the recent Rasuwa floods in Nepal-Tibet, which originated in collapse of hanging glaciers due to melting of permafrost. The frequency, intensity and spread of the risks are also going up. Considering increasing pace of global warming that is inevitable in coming decades, the disaster risks are only going to go up.

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Yamuna River

Yamuna Manthan 0926: River Cities Failing to Protect, Sustain Water Resources

September 12, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: A tanker discharging untreated sewage in an open area near Yamuna river close to Mokshdham in Vrindavan. Source: Amar Ujala, Sept. 10, 2026)

Multiple reports over the past month again highlight serious failures in water governance in major cities in the Yamuna basin including Delhi, Gurugram, Greater Noida, Noida, Vrindavan and Bhopal. The problems range from poor rainwater harvesting and inadequate sewage networks to ineffective sewage treatment capacity, unregulated groundwater extraction and neglect of water bodies.

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Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 070926: Protect Himalayan Region from Cascading Disasters

September 7, 2026September 7, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Hunge Bazar in Nuwakot, damaged by the Bhotekoshi floods. Source: Angad Dhakal/TKP)

In the wake of the Aug. 26 Nepal disaster, civil society groups in India have demanded urgent measures to protect people, mountains and rivers from increasingly complex and cascading disasters across the Himalayan region. The statement issued under the umbrella of People for Himalaya rightly appeals for high-altitude and trans-Himalayan areas to be treated as no-go zones for high-risk mega infrastructure projects, including large hydropower projects.

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Dam floods · Fly Ash Bund Breach

Aug 2026: Failure to Manage Fly Ash Dams, Disposal in MP, UP & Chhattisgarh

September 5, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Collage showing in left Sasan UMPP’s damaged fly ash dyke, in centre NTPC’s Unchahar plant damaged fly ash pipeline and on right truck found dumping fly ash illegally in Korba. Source: Amar Ujala, Dainik Bhaskar, ETV Bharat)

There have been at least three incidents of leakages from fly ash dykes at Reliance’s Sasan UMPP in MP & NTPC’s Unchahar Plant in Raebareli, UP in Aug. 2026. All the three incidents have considerably affected nearby village and farmer communities in both the states. Notably, both projects have also experienced ash dyke related leakages and failures in the recent past, raising serious concerns over safety of the structures and safe disposal of the toxic fly ash.

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Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 310826: Nepal’s Rasuwa flood disaster: Is there a limit to Human Folly?

August 31, 2026August 31, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Map of Hydropower Projects and condition in Trishuli- Bhote Koshi Basin Map by SANDRP made with Google LLM)

Even as Nepal, Tibet, India and other countries whose citizens are in missing list following the Aug 26 2026 Rasuwa flood disaster for Nepal, and even as the full dimensions of the disaster are still unfolding, a Bloomberg journalist asked SANDRP a pertinent question. Seeing the major role played by operating and under construction hydropower projects in the disaster and the missing list of hundreds of people from such projects, he noted that deaths at disaster hit hydropower projects in Himalayas is a recurring story. During and after every such disaster, there is talk of learning lessons such projects, but there is little change in decision making process. His question was, is there a limit to human folly, beyond which we will see some genuine change?

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Assam · Dams, Rivers & People · Floods

DRP 170826: Assam Floods: Engineering alone cannot help

August 17, 2026August 17, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Drone image showing flood situation in Assam. Source: TNIE/ Credit ANI, July 26, 2026)

Among many analyses of the recent Assam Floods, three contrasting ones stand out to illustrate the limitation of supremely confident perspective that engineering alone will solve the problem. One of them is by Mitul Baruah and another one is on edit page of The Times of India on Aug 17 2026. The third one by Arupjyoti Saikia is published in Indian Express. The one in TOI does not look at cultural or historical aspects of floods in Assam, nor the uniqueness of unprecedented upper Assam floods & the reasons behind it. The analysis by Mitul Baruah, in contrast, takes into account all this and in fact comes from lived experience in Majuli. Arupjyoti Saikia, an environmental historian, takes historical perspective.

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Floodplain · Floods · Urban Rivers · Yamuna River

Yamuna Manthan Aug 2026: Floodplains remain under threat

August 13, 2026August 13, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Map showing the temporal changes in the Yamuna river courses for years 1990, 2007, 2014 and maximum possible/ visible extents of the associated floodplains for years 1807, 1952, 1980, 1990, 2007 and 2014; digitized from the toposheets compiled from Survey of India, IRS 1C LISS III imageries and Google Earth images. Credit: Constriction of the Yamuna River Floodplains within Delhi Region since 19th Century: A Serious Concern)

Three recent studies have once again highlighted both the severe degradation of the Yamuna and the critical role of its floodplain in Delhi. Their findings make it clear that cleaning sewage alone will not revive the river. Protecting natural flows, restoring floodplain connectivity and conserving wetlands are equally important for reducing flood risk, recharging groundwater and sustaining the river’s ecology. Undoubtedly, the Yamuna floodplain has already suffered extensive encroachment, fragmentation and ecological damage due to weak governance.

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Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 100826: State of Dam Safety Affairs in India

August 10, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Idukki dam in Kerala. Credit: Reju Arnold/ Source: The Week)

The two important developments over the past week have once again highlighted the worrying state of dam safety affairs in India. Firstly, the information shared by Union Jal Shakti Minister on Aug. 03, 2026 in Parliament has revealed that the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) has updated Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) for only 735 of the country’s 6,598 completed and operational specified dams as of July 30, 2026.

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