(Feature Image: Godavari river in Nashik. Source: SANDRP Guest blog by Shilpa Dahake in Dec. 2017)

This week, the Question of Cities (QofC) has, with their focus on Godavari River in Nashik city in view of the 2027 Simhastha Kumbha Mela, once again sought to bring the question to centre stage: Can Kumbh Mela help improve the state of Godavari River rather than worsen it as seems to be the case currently? QofC has gone into depth related to various aspects that are worsening the state of Godavari River in Nashik, including concretization of the river bed and river banks, cutting down of large number of trees, destruction of kunds and generally worsening the water quality in the river. Currently, each Kumbh Mela seems to leave the river in worsening state, rather than improve it.

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

The Bhakra Beas Management Board seems to be at cross roads in several senses this year. In a Super El Nino year, when deficit rainfall prospects loom large, one would expect BBMB advocating lower outflows to ensure reservoir has higher storages if rainfall is indeed lower than normal. Particularly when there is also news of lower (2.2 BCM against normal of 4 BCM) snow fall and snow reserve in the catchment and just about half the expected inflows currently. Another report says BBMB has cancelled the tendering process for pilot desilting project in Bhakra reservoir in Bilaspur district in Himachal Pradesh. No one is of course asking for investigation as to how so much silt has entered the reservoir in last couple of decades with the increasing upstream construction activities in terms of hydropower projects, highways and urbanization, all leading to illegal dumping of muck into the upstream rivers.

(Feature Image: MoEF&CC March 08, 2019 notification showing Suraha Tal Wetlands ESZ)

India may have proudly added Suraha Tal (Ballia) as its 100th Ramsar site this week, but ground realities tell a very different story. Even as wetlands receive international recognition, most continue to face degradation, most often due to state apathy. As we had earlier highlighted, Suraha Tal that got Ramsar tag this week, is under pressure from government-led encroachment, with construction inside its eco-sensitive zone leading to repeated flooding and damage.

(Feature Image: Dainik Bhaskar 29 May 2026 clip on illegal pipeline from CETP discharging effluents in Jojari river.)

Even for the murky dealings going on in the name of pollution control in India, this must figure most imaginative, filmy stuff. On May 27, a 4 km long secret pipeline was discovered by a Supreme Court appointed committee in Jodhpur district in Rajasthan. The pipeline connected a Central Effluent Treatment Plant and Jojari River. It’s not yet clear for how long this has been going and how many more such imaginative infrastructure exist.

(Feature Image: Yamuna river in flowless condition downstream Juddo dam (Vyasi HEP) in Dehradun in June 2023. Bhim Singh Rawat/ SANDRP)

The decision of Government of India, conveyed to the Supreme Court through a joint affidavit from Union Ministry of Jal Shakti and Ministry of Environment and Forests, with concurrence of also the Union Power Ministry that no more hydro projects will be taken up in Upper Ganga basin after three under construction projects are completed (four of the seven listed are already commissioned, so only three under construction projects remain) is welcome. It has taken decades of struggle by many campaigns and movements, including the massive June 2013 disaster and the Supreme Court order led by Justice Radha Krishnan then among others.