Himachal hydro projects on major rivers "cleared" sans local nod, pollution control bodies' role "diluted": Govt told

Surlej

By A Representative
A top civil society source has revealed that the Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) studies of several big and small hydropower projects for Himachal Pradesh's three major river basins, Sutlej, Chenab and Beas, have either been completed are in the process of completion. However, for most of these, little or no local consultation, as required by law, has been carried out.
A letter dashed to state environment secretary Manisha Nanda, who also heads the chief minister's office, by civil rights network Himdhara Collective has alleged, these studies have been found to be a mere formality, "as the process of giving environment and forest clearances for hydro projects has been de-linked from the CIA process."
Demanding that until complete studies are carried out there must be a moratorium on further hydro development in the state, the letter, which is based on an in-depth study of environmental assessment of all the rivers, says, there is, as of today, no "local community involvement in river protection".
A 2016 study, "Dried & Dusted: State of the Rivers Report – Himachal Pradesh", it said, "Himachal has the largest hydropower installed capacity in the country." It has "installed 10264 MW worth of projects. It is planning to harness a total 27436 MW out of which 24000 MW of power is harnessable (Govt. of HP, 2015-16) from the five major river basins of the state namely Sutlej, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Yamuna across a total of 813 large, medium and small projects and micro-hydels."

"In such a scenario the nature of development is bound to impact the state of the rivers. In the next section we examine some of the major developments that have emerged as threats to the health of Himachal's rivers", the study believes.

Basing on the study, the letter -- signed by representatives from Him Lok Jagriti Manch, Social Uplift Through Rural Action, Himalaya Bachao Samiti, Himalaya Niti Abhiyan, Sutlej Bachao Jiven Bachao Abhiyan Samiti, Himdhara Collective and Himachal Van Adhikar Manch -- calls Beas, Ravi, Sutlej and Lower Stretches of the Yamuna (tributaries) "already critically polluted" and "in the red", adding, the regulatory authorities are least concerned about fighting pollution.

According to the letter, the State Pollution Control Board and the Irrigation and Public Health departments' roles have "either been made redundant or they have been working to ensure least hindrance to 'developers'." It adds, things wouldn't change for the better unless the "dilutions" made in the amendments in the Hydropower Policy of 2006 made in 2014 and 16, are withdrawn.
The amendments, says the letter, have dilute "the process of No Objection Certificate (NOC) from these departments prior to approval of hydro projects", adding, "The role of these regulatory agencies needs to be strengthened with community involvement in ensuring compliance to existing legislations that protect rivers and riparian rights."
Noting dangers posed by industrial pollution, the letter says, "Special attention needs to be paid to monitoring and regulation of industrial pollution in areas like Baddi, Barotiwala, Nalagarh and Paonta Sahib. Common Effluent Treatment Plants have failed miserably and an effort needs to be made to monitor pollution at the source as well as treat the effluents there."
Industrial pollution is not the only hazard faced by the state's rivers. The letters says, despite the National Green Tribunal and High Court orders, things with regard to sand mining have not change. While following their orders it is Sand mining is is "regulated or even stopped, the revival would take place in a short period of time."
The letter wants tourism and urbanisation as needing "serious policy measures that strengthen the role of regulatory agencies as well as work towards models that are not large and commercial in nature but small scale and community owned and managed." It adds, "Four laning projects and blind road widening are not just damaging forests but also increasing erosion and the siltation on our rivers."
Seeking involvement of local community in protecting forests in order to stop erosion of rivers, the letter says, "The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, if implemented in full spirit, will strengthen community control and ownership over forests around river basins. Unfortunately, the Himachal government has the poorest track record in FRA implementation with the forest bureaucracy impeding rather than facilitating the filing of claims process."

Comments

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Kolkata dialogue flags policy and finance deficit in wetland sustainability

By A Representative Wetlands were the focus of India–Germany climate talks in Kolkata, where experts from government, business, and civil society stressed both their ecological importance and the urgent need for stronger conservation frameworks.

Beyond Lata: How Asha Bhosle redefined the female voice with her underrated versatility

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The news of iconic Asha Bhosle’s ‘untimely’ demise has shocked music lovers across the country. Asha Tai was 92 years young. Normally, people celebrate a passing at this age, but Asha Bhosle—much like another legend, Dev Anand—never made us feel she was growing old. She was perhaps the most versatile artist in Bombay cinema. Hailing from a family devoted to music, Asha’s journey to success and fame was not easy. Her elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar, had already become the voice of women in cinema, and most contemporaries like Shamshad Begum, Suraiya, and Noor Jehan had slowly faded into oblivion. Frankly, there was no second or third to Lata Mangeshkar; she became the first—and perhaps the only—choice for music directors and all those who mattered in filmmaking. Asha started her musical journey at age 10 with a Marathi film, but her first break in Hindustani cinema came with the film "Chunariya" (1948). Though she was not the first choice of ...

Lata Mangeshkar, a Dalit from Devdasi family, 'refused to sing a song' about Ambedkar

By Pramod Ranjan* An artist is known and respected for her art. But she is equally, or even more so known and respected for her social concerns. An artist's social concerns or in other words, her worldview, give a direction and purpose to her art. History remembers only such artists whose social concerns are deep, reasoned and of durable importance. Lata Mangeshkar (28 September 1929 – 6 February 2022) was a celebrated playback singer of the Hindi film industry. She was the uncrowned queen of Indian music for over seven decades. Her popularity was unmatched. Her songs were heard and admired not only in India but also in Pakistan, Bangladesh and many other South Asian countries. In this article, we will focus on her social concerns. Lata lived for 92 long years. Music ran in her blood. Her father also belonged to the world of music. Her two sisters, Asha Bhonsle and Usha Mangeshkar, are well-known singers. Lata might have been born in Indore but the blood of a famous Devdasi family...

Maoist activity in India: Weakening structures, 'shifts' in leadership, strategy and ideology

By Harsh Thakor* Recent statements by government representatives have suggested that Maoism in India has been effectively eliminated, citing the weakening of central leadership and intensified security operations. These claims follow sustained counterinsurgency efforts across key regions, including central and eastern India. However, available information from security agencies and independent observers indicates that while the organizational structure of the CPI (Maoist) has been significantly disrupted, elements of the movement remain active. Reports acknowledge the continued presence of cadres in certain forested regions such as Bastar and parts of Dandakaranya, alongside smaller, decentralized units adapting their operational strategies.

46% own nothing, 1% own 18%: The truth about India’s land inequality

By Vikas Meshram * “Agriculture is the backbone of India” — this is what we have been hearing for generations. But there is a pain hollowing out this backbone from within: the unequal distribution of land. On one hand, news of farmer suicides, indebtedness, and rural migration keeps coming; on the other, agricultural land across the country continues to concentrate in the hands of a few wealthy individuals.

US study links ultra-processed diets to preterm birth, sparks concern in India

By Jag Jivan A growing body of scientific evidence linking ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption during pregnancy to adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes has sparked fresh concern among public health experts, with Indian nutrition advocates warning of serious implications for the country’s already strained maternal health landscape.

From Manesar to Noida: Workers take to streets for bread, media looks away

By Sunil Kumar* Across several states in India, a workers’ movement is gathering momentum. This is not a movement born of luxury or ambition, nor a demand for power-sharing within the state. At its core lies a stark and basic plea: the right to survive with dignity—adequate food, and wages sufficient to afford it.

Midnight weeping: The sociology of tragic vision in Badri Narayan’s poetry

By Ravi Ranjan* Badri Narayan, a distinguished Hindi poet and social scientist, occupies a unique position in contemporary Indian intellectual life by bridging the worlds of creative literature and critical social inquiry. His poetic journey began significantly with the 1993 collection 'Saca Sune Hue Kaï Dina Hue' (Truth Heard Many Days Ago). As a social historian and cultural anthropologist, Narayan pioneered a methodological shift away from elite archives toward the oral traditions and folk myths of marginalized communities. He eventually legitimized "folk-ethnography" as a rigorous academic discipline during his tenure as Director of the G.B. Pant Social Science Institute.

Search This Blog