DRP 151225: Hydro Projects continue to provide troubling news

December 15, 2025December 15, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(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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Dams, Rivers & People

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

December 8, 2025December 8, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(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: Dam Induced Urban Floods in India

December 7, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: The Musi river in flood spate in Hyderabad on Sept 27, 2025 following incessant rains and the lifting of gates at the overflowing Osman Sagar and Himayatsagar reservoirs. Credit: Nagara Gopal )

In 2025, we could find reports on two Indian cities facing the impact of dam induced floods. While the excessive discharges by Himayat Sagar reservoir severely inundated residential areas along Musi river in Hyderabad in last week of Sept 2025, the significant releases by Ukai dam authority into Tapi river affected daily life in Surat city twice in mid Aug and first week of Sept. 2025.

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Dams, Rivers & People

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

December 1, 2025December 1, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(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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Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 241125: Judiciary’s ineffectiveness on Rivers Pollution issues

November 24, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(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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Fish, Fisheries, Fisherfolk

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

November 23, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(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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Fish, Fisheries, Fisherfolk

WFD 2025: Important Studies, Reports on Freshwater Fish Species, Habitats

November 21, 2025November 23, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

Marking World Fisheries Day (WFD) 2025, we present some of important studies and reports highlighting the growing threats over freshwater fish species in India and across the globe. The multi-taxon global freshwater fauna assessment for The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species published this year is among most concerning report revealing looming extinction threats over 24% of freshwater fauna worldwide. This includes the hump-backed mahseer, subterranean snakehead and peninsular hill trout found in rivers and waterbodies of Western Ghats.

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Fish, Fisheries, Fisherfolk

World Fisheries Day 2025: Top 10 Positive Stories from India

November 20, 2025November 22, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

Recognizing the fisherfolks’ valuable services to the society, the annual World Fisheries Day (WFD) will be celebrated on Nov. 21 with the theme “We have not caught anything, but at your word I will let down the nets”. On this occasion SANDRP compiles top 10 positive developments that took place during last one year regarding protection of inland fisherfolks’ rights and also protecting the habitats of freshwater fish species in India.

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Climate Change · DRP News Bulletin

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

November 10, 2025November 10, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(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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Dams, Rivers & People

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

October 27, 2025October 27, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(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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