{"id":104479,"date":"2026-05-22T11:31:39","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T06:01:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=104479"},"modified":"2026-05-22T11:31:39","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T06:01:39","slug":"upper-ganga-no-dam-consensus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/upper-ganga-no-dam-consensus\/","title":{"rendered":"Upper Ganga No-Dam Consensus: Why the Centre Opposes New Hydropower Projects"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>Upper Ganga No-Dam Consensus Latest News<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Union Government has informed the Supreme Court that it does not support new hydroelectric projects on the <\/span><b>Alaknanda<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Bhagirathi rivers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the main headstreams of the Ganga, marking a significant policy shift.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The issue gained prominence after the 2013 Kedarnath disaster, following which the Supreme Court ordered a review of existing and proposed hydropower projects in Uttarakhand and halted fresh environmental and forest clearances.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The government\u2019s current unified position comes after more than a decade of internal disagreements, balancing Uttarakhand\u2019s economic interests, the need to preserve ecological flow in the Ganga, and concerns over the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Committees, Reviews and Policy Deadlock<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Following the Supreme Court\u2019s 2013 order, the Environment Ministry set up an expert panel led by <\/span><b>Ravi Chopra<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to assess whether hydropower projects worsened the Kedarnath disaster and threatened biodiversity in the upper Ganga basin.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The committee concluded that 23 of 24 proposed hydroelectric projects would harm biodiversity, a view supported by the Environment Ministry.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Institutional Disagreement<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/central-water-commission\/\" target=\"_blank\">Central Water Commission<\/a><\/strong> (CWC) opposed this conclusion, arguing that hydropower had a minimal ecological footprint and was not linked to the 2013 disaster.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meanwhile, project developers approached the Supreme Court seeking removal of the clearance freeze.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Second Expert Committee (EB-II)<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2015, the Supreme Court directed the formation of a second panel under B.P. Das to examine:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cumulative environmental impact\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Carrying capacity of the Ganga basin\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Glacial movement and seismic risks\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Socio-economic implications<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Continued Policy Deadlock<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">EB-II initially cleared the six disputed projects. However, internal differences emerged between the Environment Ministry, Jal Shakti Ministry, and Power Ministry, delaying a final decision.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In its broader review of 70 hydropower projects, EB-II found:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">19 already operational\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recommended 28 of the remaining 51 projects\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the Jal Shakti Ministry opposed these recommendations in 2019, prolonging the deadlock.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2021, the Centre adopted a compromise position, supporting only seven projects that were already substantially completed or had advanced financial investments.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Revisiting Hydropower Assessments in Upper Ganga<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2024, the Supreme Court directed a committee headed by <\/span><b>Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to reconsider the recommendations of the EB-II, stating that if the Centre rejected them, it must provide clear reasons.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After consulting the Uttarakhand government, central ministries, and civil society, the committee recommended only five hydropower projects:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bowala Nandprayag\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Devsari\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bhyundar Ganga\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jhalakoti\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Urgam-II<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Key Concerns Considered<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Disaster Vulnerability<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; The committee flagged the threat from glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), citing the 2023 Sikkim disaster as evidence of severe downstream risks.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ecological Impact<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; Projects with significant ecological consequences were excluded from consideration.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Centre\u2019s Final Position<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In January 2026, the Supreme Court gave the Centre three months for a final decision.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The government ultimately argued against new hydropower projects, describing the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi basins as unique (\u2018sui generis\u2019) due to their ecological, geological, and cultural significance.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Evidence of Fragility<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Centre cited recent disasters such as:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2021 Rishi Ganga floods\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Joshimath flash floods\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Land subsidence in Joshimath\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also highlighted the region\u2019s rich ecological sensitivity, including:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nanda Devi National Park\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Valley of Flowers National Park\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gangotri National Park\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Centre\u2019s evolving stance on hydropower projects in the upper Ganga reflects a broader shift from development-first thinking to ecological caution in fragile Himalayan regions.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The long policy journey underscores the challenge of balancing energy needs, economic interests, and environmental sustainability.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As climate risks intensify and disasters become more frequent, the upper Ganga may emerge as a defining test case for environmentally responsible infrastructure planning in India.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/no-new-dams-upper-ganga-centre-stand-uttarakhand-10701788\/#:~:text=On%20Wednesday%20(May%2020)%2C,streams%20of%20the%20Ganga%20River.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">IE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Upper Ganga No-Dam Consensus reflects the Centre\u2019s shift toward ecological protection, rejecting new hydropower projects in the fragile Himalayan river basin.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":104512,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[60,7656,22,59],"class_list":{"0":"post-104479","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-mains-articles","9":"tag-upper-ganga-no-dam-consensus","10":"tag-upsc-current-affairs","11":"tag-upsc-mains-current-affairs-tag","12":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104479","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=104479"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104479\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":104500,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104479\/revisions\/104500"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/104512"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=104479"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=104479"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=104479"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}