Hydropower

Featured Articles
February 12, 2021 The havoc points to the faultlines in the developmental planning of ecologically sensitive areas.
The glacial burst in Chamoli is nature’s way of telling the state not to play havoc with the local ecology. (Image: Down to Earth)
December 26, 2019 Policy matters this week
The Mandovi river disputed between Karnataka and Goa (Source: IWP Flickr Photos)
December 6, 2019 A report by the India Rivers Forum highlights the need to focus further than the main stem of the Ganga river.
Distant snow clad mountains, the smaller hills and the Ganga river (Image: Srimoyee Banerjee, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)
November 27, 2019 Policy matters this week
An irrigation well at Randullabad, Maharashtra (Source: India Water Portal on Flickr)
Role of thermal power plants and coal mining in local area development and addressing regional imbalance - Note by Prayas to Government of Maharashtra
This report highlights the large number of clearances accorded to thermal power plants in the country and their implications for the environment Posted on 02 Aug, 2012 05:18 PM

The Prayas Energy Group, Pune had in August 2011, released a report titled “Thermal power plants on the anvil: Implications and need for rationalisation” on the large number of thermal power plants (TPPs) being pro

Activists call for disbanding the inter ministerial group on issues related to river Ganga
A group of activists have urged that the Inter Ministerial Group on issues related to river Ganga be disbanded Posted on 26 Jul, 2012 04:10 PM

This is on the ground that its formation itself was an attempt to further delay the action National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) was expected to make. The composition of the Committee has been criticized, as also its constitution and the Terms of Reference.

Whose river is it anyway - Political economy of hydropower in the Eastern Himalayas - A paper published in the Economic and Political Weekly
This paper highlights the various debates that have emerged in India the context of the highly controversial issue of large dams being built on the rivers of the eastern Himalayas Posted on 25 Jul, 2012 05:38 PM

This paper published in the Economic and Political Weekly, highlights the various debates that have emerged in India the context of the highly controversial issue of large dams being built on the rivers of the eastern Himalayas, the recent campaigns by the people from the Nor

Has the revised draft of the National Water Policy 2012, released by the Ministry of Water Resources in June 2012 incorporated the public's feedback ?
This article by Chicu Lokgariwar presents the salient features of the revised draft of the National Water Policy and compares it to the previous version Posted on 21 Jul, 2012 07:45 PM

On 31st January 2012, the Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) had released the draft of the National Water Policy 2012 and invited comments till 29 February. Following the meeting of the National Water Board on 7th June 2012, the MoWR has now put up a revised draft on their website.

Cleansing of the river Ganga and the World Bank loan - An article in the Observer Research Foundation's Energy News Monitor
This article argues that it is necessary to take a holistic approach while dealing with pollution of the Ganga and then undertaking steps or measures to deal with it Posted on 19 Jul, 2012 09:52 AM

This article published in the Observer Research Foundation's Energy News Monitor reflects o

Environmental sustainability index for Indian states 2011: Informing environmental action by Centre for Development Finance
This document sheds light on environmental sustainability index (ESI), a diagnostic tool that informs and empowers about state level sustainability issues Posted on 16 Jul, 2012 02:42 PM

This document by Centre for Development Finance sheds light on environmental sustainability index (ESI), a diagnostic tool that informs and empowers about state level sustainability issues.

Background information for the Twelfth Year Plan: Reports of the Planning Commission working groups
This article includes the details of working group reports related to water, agriculture and environment by the Government of India Posted on 16 Jun, 2012 04:53 PM

The Twelfth Five Year Plan of the Government of India commences during the year 2012-13. This plan has been developed following the recommendations of a number of Working Groups covering 26 different areas.

Water quality of the Bhagirathi, Ganga in the Himalayan region: A study by NEERI
This study of the water quality of the Ganga was commissioned after the construction of the Tehri Dam. It acknowledges that most people in India have a belief that water from the Ganga has bactericidal properties and this might be affected by the dam. National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) was retained by the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited (THDC) to investigate any impact that the Tehri Dam might have on the water quality of the Ganga. This report presents the results of that investigation. Posted on 19 May, 2012 05:00 PM


View of the Bhagirathi near Dharali, seen as a valley bound by snowy peaksThe Bhagirathi in its upper reaches, here seen near Dharali (Photo: Chicu Lokgariwar)

Viability of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects in India: Study of Chanju CDM project in Chamba district,Himachal Pradesh
The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is introduced by US government as flexibility mechanisms under Kyoto Protocol and allows developed countries to meet their emission reduction commitments by promoting clean development in developing countries. As a policy mandate, it aims to design project-based mechanisms to reduce emissions. These reductions are produced and then subtracted against a hypothetical baseline of emissions which are predicted to occur in the absence of a particular CDM project. India as a signatory of this protocol have been registered 2313 projects up to August 2010, out of these, 64 projects are of hydro power generation and Chanju power project of 36 MW is one of the CDM project in India. Dr Mohinder Kumar Slariya in this article showcases the primary data research based view point, which he presented in the "International Scientific Conference" at Hohenheim University, Germany. Posted on 03 May, 2012 06:30 PM

The present paper is an attempt of the researcher to make a comparative analysis between the expected benefits received by the executing agency under CDM and the actual benefits people are expected to receive from Chanju-I Hydro Electric Project.

Critical review of the impacts, challenges, prospects and conflict management for vitally needed inter-linking of rivers in India
Hon’ble Supreme Court in its judgment of 27th February 2012, directed union and concerned states governments, to implement ambitious interlinking of the rivers project (ILR) in a time bound manner and also asked Union Government to appoint a high-powered committee for planning and implementation of the project. Social tensions, political instability and street fights are already being experienced in India, on account of fast deteriorating situation of availability of qualitative water in adequate quantity.
This article presents a critical review of basic objectives, controversies, social & ecological impacts besides concrete suggestions to overcome the blockades in Inter-basin Transfer of Water (IBTW), now commonly known as Inter-linking of Rivers (ILR).
Posted on 23 Apr, 2012 12:17 PM

Guest post by : Er. Radhey Shyam Goel

1. Introduction

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