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		<title>Mongabay India</title>
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		<link>https://india.mongabay.com/list/hydroelectric-power/</link>
		<description>India&#039;s environmental science and conservation news</description>
		<lastBuildDate>Fri, 11 Sep 2026 12:04:34 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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					<title>Nepal’s flood disaster puts its hydropower-first strategy, exports to the test</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/nepals-flood-disaster-puts-its-hydropower-first-strategy-exports-to-the-test/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/nepals-flood-disaster-puts-its-hydropower-first-strategy-exports-to-the-test/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>10 Sep 2026 15:00:58 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Rudra Pangeni]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mongabay Editor]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Flash flood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nepal]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/09/10141820/nepal-flood-2026-3-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=40837</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Global, Himalayas, and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Cities and Towns, Climate Change, Climate Change Adaptation, Dams, Environment, Extreme Weather Events, Floods, Glacial Lake Outburst Flood, Glaciers, Global Warming, Himalayas, Hydroelectric power, Impacts of Climate Change, Mountains, Natural Resources, Renewable Energy, and Sustainability]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Nepal’s long-held policy of harnessing hydroelectricity and using it for economic growth has met new challenges: potential catastrophic floods in the snow-fed rivers amid rising global temperatures. The August 26 floods that originated on the Nepal-China border, and that knocked out around 10% of installed power from the national grid, has prompted a debate on [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Nepal’s long-held policy of harnessing hydroelectricity and using it for economic growth has met new challenges: potential catastrophic floods in the snow-fed rivers amid rising global temperatures. The August 26 floods that originated on the Nepal-China border, and that knocked out around 10% of installed power from the national grid, has prompted a debate on whether Nepal should rethink its overall hydropower strategy or just adopt better-engineered plants. Amid this, the flood could jeopardise the country’s clean energy targets and push it to adopt more solar power. Immediate impacts The recent flash flood crippled a combined installed generation capacity of 281 megawatts, including a solar power plant, and damaged four other under-construction projects, totaling a capacity of 700 MW. One of the oldest hydroelectric plants, the 14.1-MW Devighat Hydroelectric Plant, commissioned 42 years ago, was wiped out. Further downstream, the flood badly damaged a 25-MW solar power plant, according to data compiled by Mongabay from official sources. Similarly, with a hub of a transmission line washed away on the Trishuli river’s banks, another 150 MW of power from different power plants is cut off from the national grid system. Transmission lines, including a substation on the Trishuli riverbank, were also destroyed. While officials are assessing the damage, estimates put losses at hundreds of billions of Nepali rupees, according to media reports. They say they can’t yet provide timelines for when the affected projects will resume generation. Around 983 engineers and workers are feared trapped inside the tunnels or power houses&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/nepals-flood-disaster-puts-its-hydropower-first-strategy-exports-to-the-test/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Forest clearance for dam puts white-bellied herons at risk</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/forest-clearance-for-dam-puts-white-bellied-herons-at-risk/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/forest-clearance-for-dam-puts-white-bellied-herons-at-risk/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>19 Jun 2026 13:54:23 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hydroelectric Power]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/06/19110747/WHITE-BELLIED-HERON-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=38747</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Hewing The Regulatory Tree]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Fish, Hydroelectric power, Rivers, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The  Forest Advisory Committee has granted “in principle” approval to a hydropower project in a region of Arunachal Pradesh that is inhabited by the white bellied heron, a critically endangered bird whose species number was estimated to be less than 60, globally, in 2015. To compensate for the forest loss resulting from the project, the [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The  Forest Advisory Committee has granted “in principle” approval to a hydropower project in a region of Arunachal Pradesh that is inhabited by the white bellied heron, a critically endangered bird whose species number was estimated to be less than 60, globally, in 2015. To compensate for the forest loss resulting from the project, the FAC approved afforestation thousands of kilometres away, in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, a decision experts termed futile for the bird’s conservation. The FAC, a statutory body under the environment ministry which evaluates project proposals on forest land, gave its approval to the Kalai II hydroelectric power plant (HEP) in a meeting on May 8. The 1200-megawatt run-of-the river dam is planned on the Lohit river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, in the border district of Anjaw. The river’s catchment area is flanked by tropical wet and dense mixed forest types and sits in the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot. A total of 33,338 trees are proposed to be felled within this landscape for the dam. In its meeting, the FAC noted that the white-bellied heron was absent in the list of important species that could be impacted by the project, and granted its approval on the condition that the Wildlife Institute of India vet the project’s Wildlife Management Plan. The FAC insisted that the assessment put a special emphasis on conserving the bird’s habitat. However, conservation experts say that the hydropower project is likely to cause major disruptions to the species’ survival in&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/forest-clearance-for-dam-puts-white-bellied-herons-at-risk/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Eastern Himalayan hydropower risks locking in climate maladaptation [Commentary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/eastern-himalayan-hydropower-risks-locking-in-climate-maladaptation-commentary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/eastern-himalayan-hydropower-risks-locking-in-climate-maladaptation-commentary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>11 Feb 2026 16:37:24 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Sharon Sarah Thawaney]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eastern himalayas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[glacial melt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hydropower]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Infrastructure]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/02/10220803/AP23285554626804-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=36822</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Himalayas]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Climate Change Adaptation, Dams, Ecology, Energy, Environment, Floods, Glacial Lake Outburst Flood, Glaciers, Hydroelectric power, Mountains, Rivers, and Water]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Over the past two decades, hydropower has reshaped development pathways in the Himalayas. It has been aggressively promoted as clean energy that can meet climate goals, while also driving economic growth. The Hindu Kush Himalaya is widely recognised as a storehouse of untapped green energy, with estimates exceeding 3.5 terawatts (TW) of renewable potential, including [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Over the past two decades, hydropower has reshaped development pathways in the Himalayas. It has been aggressively promoted as clean energy that can meet climate goals, while also driving economic growth. The Hindu Kush Himalaya is widely recognised as a storehouse of untapped green energy, with estimates exceeding 3.5 terawatts (TW) of renewable potential, including nearly 882 gigawatts (GW) of hydropower. However, this expansion is unfolding in one of the world’s most geologically fragile mountain systems. Nowhere is this tension more visible than in the Eastern Himalayas, where climate risks are intensifying rapidly. Over time, these shifting risks have exposed how large hydropower projects can amplify, rather than absorb, environmental stress. The 2023 glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) from South Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim crystallised this contradiction. As the flood intersected with hydropower infrastructure along the Teesta, it revealed how vulnerability has been hard-wired into the landscape. This raises an uncomfortable question: has hydropower, long promoted as a climate solution in the Eastern Himalayas, in fact been functioning as a maladaptation? Hydropower on a geologically unstable The concept of maladaptation describes climate responses that ultimately increase vulnerability, shift risk across space or time, or undermine long-term resilience. It is particularly relevant in the Eastern Himalayas, where the physical foundations of large hydropower infrastructure are increasingly misaligned with climatic and geological realities. The Himalayas sit in a seismically active, high-hazard zone characterised by young geology, steep terrain, and dynamic, sediment-rich rivers. Even without considering the impacts of climate change, large,&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/eastern-himalayan-hydropower-risks-locking-in-climate-maladaptation-commentary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Budget signals a shift in India’s climate and energy priorities</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/budget-signals-a-shift-in-indias-climate-and-energy-priorities/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/budget-signals-a-shift-in-indias-climate-and-energy-priorities/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>03 Feb 2026 14:06:13 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[adaptation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Annual budget]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Climate Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Critical Minerals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[electricity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Energy security]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[energy storage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Municipal Bond]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rural economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Supply chain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Urban area]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/02/03113134/AP25247548851789-scaled-e1770098800708-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=36715</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy and Climate Finance]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Air Pollution, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Climate Change Adaptation, Climate Change Mitigation, Coal, Energy, Environmental Politics, Green Energy, Hydroelectric power, Industry, Politics, and Renewable Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In her ninth consecutive Union budget speech on February 1, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did not mention “climate” even once. She mentioned “environment” but in the context of infrastructure projects such as high-speed rail and dedicated freight corridors. This reflects the overall thrust of the budget, which focused more on infrastructure expansion, reducing import dependence, [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In her ninth consecutive Union budget speech on February 1, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did not mention “climate” even once. She mentioned “environment” but in the context of infrastructure projects such as high-speed rail and dedicated freight corridors. This reflects the overall thrust of the budget, which focused more on infrastructure expansion, reducing import dependence, and strengthening domestic manufacturing, while remaining muted on environmental concerns. Experts say external factors, including climate finance constraints, economic conditions, and geopolitical tensions, may be influencing this tone that the budget has taken. A similar tone was also seen in the Economic Survey tabled on January 29, which analyses the state of the economy and sets the context for the budget which then announces the government&#8217;s actual spending and policy proposals. The Survey noted that capacity constraints and a widening gap between ambition and operational reality have marked the global climate agenda. It highlighted climate finance as a key challenge and said India should approach the transition as part of a broader energy system strategy linked to growth and security. Rohit Azad, Assistant Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University’s Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, said external constraints, such as climate finance, cannot justify inaction. “Climate change is going to affect India far more than the Global North, given our tropical climate and high levels of poverty. Livelihoods will be impacted, and disasters will become harder to manage. It is in our own interest to act,” he said. Azad also pointed to global political shifts. “There is&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/budget-signals-a-shift-in-indias-climate-and-energy-priorities/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Documentaries rooted in land, water and culture, shine at DIFF</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/11/documentaries-rooted-in-land-water-and-culture-shine-at-diff/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/11/documentaries-rooted-in-land-water-and-culture-shine-at-diff/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>19 Nov 2025 10:16:43 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Megha Acharya]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DIFF]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[documentary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[film festival]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Films]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/11/18015047/IMG_5586-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=35619</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[The India Water Story]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Environment, Fishing, Hydroelectric power, Indigenous Peoples, and Mountains]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[This year, at the 14th edition of the Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF 2025), held in Dharamshala, from October 30 to November 2, a brilliant set of fiction and non-fiction films from all over the world were screened. Of these, three documentaries stood out, for the way they portrayed people, landscapes, and the transformations shaping [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[This year, at the 14th edition of the Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF 2025), held in Dharamshala, from October 30 to November 2, a brilliant set of fiction and non-fiction films from all over the world were screened. Of these, three documentaries stood out, for the way they portrayed people, landscapes, and the transformations shaping our world. The form that each of these films experimented with, added nuance to the issues they discussed, and made the audience look at realities that are often overlooked.  From Mumbai&#8217;s Koliwada – a fishing village that is transforming into a metropolis, to Lohari &#8211; a village in Uttarakhand submerged beneath the waters of the Vyasi hydroelectric dam, and a tribal community restoring an ancient well near the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border, these films reveal how stories of land and water are actually stories of people and their culture. Tuning into the soundscapes of Koliwada Last Night I Dreamed It Was Raining Fish by Shraddha Khanna is a 16-minute-long short documentary in Marathi, that traces the story of Mumbai through the memories of the Kolis, an indigenous community in the city.   The film begins with a shot of the sea, as the voice-over of an old fisherwoman struggles to recall when the Kolis first became part of this land. It has simply been too long. What follows is a fable rooted in Koli history that refers to ancient gods and the kings who ruled the city. Through the narration of the elderly fisherwoman, chatter of&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/11/documentaries-rooted-in-land-water-and-culture-shine-at-diff/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Arunachal Pradesh plans big push for hydropower</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/10/arunachal-pradesh-plans-big-push-for-hydropower/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/10/arunachal-pradesh-plans-big-push-for-hydropower/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>10 Oct 2025 16:09:00 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Divya Kilikar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dam]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Northeast India]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/10/10151700/Subansiri_Lower_Dam_Geruka_mukh_Lakhimpur_Assam-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=34999</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Energy, Green Energy, Himalayas, Hydroelectric power, Renewable Energy, Rivers, and Water]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[A 2,200 megawatt hydropower project was cleared to come up in the Upper Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh, signalling the state government’s intent to rapidly expand hydropower generation within its borders. The Oju Hydroelectric Power Project (HEP) is the latest of several large dams proposed to boost the state government’s hydropower profile. The Oju HEP [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[A 2,200 megawatt hydropower project was cleared to come up in the Upper Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh, signalling the state government’s intent to rapidly expand hydropower generation within its borders. The Oju Hydroelectric Power Project (HEP) is the latest of several large dams proposed to boost the state government’s hydropower profile. The Oju HEP was cleared by the centrally-appointed Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) on September 12, on the condition that the Navayuga Engineering group — the project developer — integrate simulations of glacial lake outburst flood scenarios into its design. “The Committee advised that a real-time monitoring and early warning system (EWS) shall be established in coordination with State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) and local administration, along with community awareness and mock drills for preparedness,” the EAC said, in light of growing glacial lakes in the region. The Oju HEP is the second major dam to secure clearance in the Subansiri river basin. The Subansiri Lower Dam, a 2000 MW run-of-the-river project (harnessing the natural flow of a river) further downstream, was awarded clearance in 2003, but faced widespread opposition from local communities and activists about the negative impacts from 2010 to 2019. “When the Subansiri Lower Dam was being cleared, one of the conditions was that there would be no further construction upstream.” said Himanshu Thakkar, coordinator of South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People. “This was appealed and now projects such as Oju have been allowed on a case-to-case basis.” The environmental impact assessment for the&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/10/arunachal-pradesh-plans-big-push-for-hydropower/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Caught between a dam and a hard place</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/caught-between-a-dam-and-a-hard-place/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/caught-between-a-dam-and-a-hard-place/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>18 Apr 2025 15:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anti-dam movement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brahmaputra]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/04/15130447/Paring-village-along-the-Sian-river-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=32211</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Dams, Hydroelectric power, Renewable Energy, and Rivers]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[On a cold February morning, the residents of Parong village in Arunachal Pradesh climbed up a hillslope and gathered in the village’s large community hall. An air of caution filled the room – the Additional District Commissioner from the nearby Pangin village would be holding a meeting on an issue considered to be of national [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[On a cold February morning, the residents of Parong village in Arunachal Pradesh climbed up a hillslope and gathered in the village’s large community hall. An air of caution filled the room – the Additional District Commissioner from the nearby Pangin village would be holding a meeting on an issue considered to be of national importance, with the potential to sink their homes: building an 11,200-megawatt hydropower project. When ADC Gamtum Padu finally arrived, he had an unexpected message. “I want to tell all of you, on behalf of the administration, that we’re sorry,” he said. After months of antagonising the residents for opposing the dam, the administration now came with folded hands. “We want to listen to you,” he said. It was the first time the government initiated a formal dialogue with families affected by the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), a hydroelectric and storage dam to be built on the Siang river – the part of the Brahmaputra river that passes through Arunachal Pradesh. Since February, government officials have held two more meetings with affected parties, hoping to slowly build consensus in order to make the dam a reality. The proposed project would submerge more than 25 villages, including Yingkiyong, the headquarters of the Upper Siang district. The proposal to build the dam has been met with months’ long protests from local residents, who say displacement is unacceptable. Residents of Parong village ahead of a meeting with the district administration. Image by Hagen Desa. “It was good that&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/caught-between-a-dam-and-a-hard-place/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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					<title>Disinvestment from dam challenged in court in fragile Himalayan state</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/03/disinvestment-from-dam-challenged-in-court-in-fragile-himalayan-state/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/03/disinvestment-from-dam-challenged-in-court-in-fragile-himalayan-state/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>11 Mar 2025 13:30:43 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hydropower]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Just Transition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Teesta III HEP]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/02/06120321/Lower_Dam_III_across_Teesta_River_AJTJ_P1110122-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=31788</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Sikkim]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Hydroelectric power, and Renewable Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Weeks after the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Sikkim cadre opposed an expert body’s approval to rebuild the Teesta III hydropower project in the state, a member of the state cadre has now moved court, challenging the decision to hand over the beleaguered project to renewable energy company Greenko. The dam was destroyed by a glacial lake [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Weeks after the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Sikkim cadre opposed an expert body’s approval to rebuild the Teesta III hydropower project in the state, a member of the state cadre has now moved court, challenging the decision to hand over the beleaguered project to renewable energy company Greenko. The dam was destroyed by a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in October 2023 but is proposed to be rebuilt in the fragile Himalayan state, despite several environmental risks. A writ petition was filed by the BJP’s state Chief Advisor, Tseten Tashi Bhutia, in the Sikkim High Court on February 24, contesting the cabinet’s decision to disinvest its stake in Sikkim Urja Limited (SUL), the public sector company that was operating the dam. The decision to sell the government’s stake to Greenko “is arbitrary, un-reasonable and in gross violation of law,” says the petition, a copy of which was obtained by Mongabay India. The approval by the centrally-appointed Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) to rebuild the Teesta III HEP came months after the acquisition by Greenko was accepted by the Competition Commission of India. The EAC gave its nod to rebuild the dam on January 10 this year. Both the state’s disinvestment from the project, and subsequent approval to rebuild the dam has been met with outrage by activists and politicians. The BJP state cadre wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month, urging him to suspend all clearances for the project till further environmental studies were done to support its viability. “We’re not&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/03/disinvestment-from-dam-challenged-in-court-in-fragile-himalayan-state/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Political stir follows expert panel&#8217;s approval to rebuild Teesta dam in Sikkim</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/02/political-stir-follows-expert-panels-approval-to-rebuild-teesta-dam-in-sikkim/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/02/political-stir-follows-expert-panels-approval-to-rebuild-teesta-dam-in-sikkim/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>06 Feb 2025 14:44:02 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dam]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hydroelectric Power]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hydropower]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Political parties]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/02/06121747/7742751410_0beeb6225e_k-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=31375</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India and Sikkim]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Dams, Environmental Law, Environmental Politics, Floods, Glacial Lake Outburst Flood, Hydroelectric power, Mountains, and Rivers]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In an unusually discordant move, the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Sikkim cadre wrote a letter to the Prime Minister on February 2, urging the Union government to withhold its approval to rebuild the Teesta III Hydro Electric Project dam, which was destroyed in a deluge over a year ago and the impacts [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In an unusually discordant move, the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Sikkim cadre wrote a letter to the Prime Minister on February 2, urging the Union government to withhold its approval to rebuild the Teesta III Hydro Electric Project dam, which was destroyed in a deluge over a year ago and the impacts of which continue to be felt in the state. “The people of Sikkim deeply value your commitment to environmental conservation and disaster resilience. The Teesta river is the lifeline of Sikkim, and any decision regarding hydropower infrastructure must be based on the scientific data, risk assessments, and inclusive public participation,” the letter, signed by the state party President D.R. Thapa, reads. The letter’s urgency was brought on by the fact that only a few weeks prior, a centrally-appointed Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) approved plans to rebuild the dam just 14 months after it was swept away. The final approval is granted by the Union Environment Ministry, generally on the recommendation of the EAC. In October 2023, a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) originating from the South Lhonak glacial lake destroyed the 1200-megawatt Teesta III Hydro Electric Project (HEP) in minutes, killing 55 people along the way and displacing 7,025 others. The destruction was described as one of the worst disasters the Himalayan state had ever seen and spotlighted the need to account for the region’s fragile ecology. Both environmental experts and opposition parties in the state have raised concerns about the project’s renewed approval for&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/02/political-stir-follows-expert-panels-approval-to-rebuild-teesta-dam-in-sikkim/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/02/political-stir-follows-expert-panels-approval-to-rebuild-teesta-dam-in-sikkim/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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						<item>
					<title>[Commentary] Holding financiers accountable for bankrolling big hydro projects</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/12/commentary-holding-financiers-accountable-for-bankrolling-big-hydro-projects/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/12/commentary-holding-financiers-accountable-for-bankrolling-big-hydro-projects/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>04 Dec 2024 14:39:01 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Amitanshu Verma]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2024/12/04135536/37906269031_63ef410863_k-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=30583</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Flood and drought and The India Water Story]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Floods, Glacial Lake Outburst Flood, and Hydroelectric power]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[A year has passed since disaster ravaged the Teesta river basin in north Sikkim. On October 4, 2023, a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in Lhonak Glacial Lake wreaked havoc on the Teesta basin in Sikkim and West Bengal. It destroyed villages, homes, and livelihoods and reportedly claimed over a hundred lives. The Sikkim Urja [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[A year has passed since disaster ravaged the Teesta river basin in north Sikkim. On October 4, 2023, a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in Lhonak Glacial Lake wreaked havoc on the Teesta basin in Sikkim and West Bengal. It destroyed villages, homes, and livelihoods and reportedly claimed over a hundred lives. The Sikkim Urja Limited-run Teesta Stage-3 dam (Teesta III hydroelectric project) — one of the biggest hydropower dams in India with 1,200 MW electricity generation capacity – was entirely wiped out by last year’s devastating glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF). While further downstream, the Teesta V dam was rendered inoperable and has not generated power since then. As the Teesta III dam is about to be rebuilt, public sector development finance institutions REC Limited (earlier known as the Rural Electrification Corporation) and the Power Finance Corporation are reportedly going to bankroll the reconstruction. This investment plan raises serious concerns because it seems to ignore the web of climate risks, financial and ecological costs and harmful socio-economic impact associated with the project. It also raises a crucial question &#8211; What should be the accountability of financial institutions towards environmental, social and climate harm engendered by projects and activities they finance? Financing big infra in a vulnerable landscape The communities affected by the 2023 GLOF have not received compensation for their losses, and many continue to live in relief camps. The Teesta stage III disaster was not entirely unexpected. Local communities impacted by the dam had long been pointing out&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2024/12/commentary-holding-financiers-accountable-for-bankrolling-big-hydro-projects/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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														</item>
						<item>
					<title>How a smoked fish tradition sustains an ethnic group in Bhutan</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/12/how-a-smoked-fish-tradition-sustains-an-ethnic-group-in-bhutan/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/12/how-a-smoked-fish-tradition-sustains-an-ethnic-group-in-bhutan/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>02 Dec 2024 11:26:58 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Choki Wangmo]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2024/11/02094908/smoked-fish-2-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=30390</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Global]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Fishing, Hydroelectric power, and Indigenous Peoples]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The Oleps, the last remaining hunter-gatherers living within Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park, take pride in their ancestry as Bhutan’s first inhabitants. With the kingdom’s modernisation in the 1960s, these nomadic hunters, once practicing slash-and-burn cultivation in the Jowo Durshing (Black Mountain) area, settled permanently in the Rukha Valley in the 1970s, in the southern part of [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The Oleps, the last remaining hunter-gatherers living within Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park, take pride in their ancestry as Bhutan’s first inhabitants. With the kingdom’s modernisation in the 1960s, these nomadic hunters, once practicing slash-and-burn cultivation in the Jowo Durshing (Black Mountain) area, settled permanently in the Rukha Valley in the 1970s, in the southern part of Wangdue Phodrang district. They brought with them the tradition ofNya Dosem, a specially prepared smoked fish made from snowtrout (Schizothorax genus). The Olep lifestyle is fading, with only 20 households remaining in Rukha and nearby Lawa-Lamga. They live near the mighty Black Mountain range within whose huge black boulders of primitive rocks, misty and verdant forest, they believe, are the fortresses of their protective deities. They share their home with charismatic species like the Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), Gee’s golden langur (Trachypithecus geei), musk deer (Moschus moschiferus), snow leopards (Panthera uncia)and red pandas (Ailurus fulgens). Rukha Valley, where the Oleps, the last remaining nomadic hunter-gatherers in Bhutan, settled permanently in the 1970s. Image by Choki Wangmo. Despite regulations against fishing without a license, the Harachhu Captured Fisheries Management Group, Bhutan’s first formalised fishery community mostly made up of Olep people, receives special government permits. According to Tashi Dorji, the group’s chairperson, the king of Bhutan encouraged the Oleps to settle and benefit from development projects. The fishing permit, which helps the Oleps adjust to settled life, is renewed every 10 years, based on sustainable practices and the community’s income. The Oleps still face challenges adapting to&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2024/12/how-a-smoked-fish-tradition-sustains-an-ethnic-group-in-bhutan/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Exploratory drilling for hydro, pumped storage should be exempt from clearance: forest committee</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/08/exploratory-drilling-for-hydro-pumped-storage-should-be-exempt-from-clearance-forest-committee/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/08/exploratory-drilling-for-hydro-pumped-storage-should-be-exempt-from-clearance-forest-committee/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>08 Aug 2024 16:18:01 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hydroelectric Power]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pumped hydro]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Renewable Energy]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2024/08/08145855/2048px-Central_India_forest_landscape-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=28923</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Hewing The Regulatory Tree]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Energy, Environmental Law, Forests, Hydroelectric power, and Renewable Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Exploratory drilling in forest areas for hydroelectric and pumped storage projects should be considered forest activity and made exempt from obtaining forest clearance, the Forest Advisory Committee has said, adding to a spate of recent policy changes that will ease the environmental compliance burden for pumped hydro and other development projects. The exemption will allow [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Exploratory drilling in forest areas for hydroelectric and pumped storage projects should be considered forest activity and made exempt from obtaining forest clearance, the Forest Advisory Committee has said, adding to a spate of recent policy changes that will ease the environmental compliance burden for pumped hydro and other development projects. The exemption will allow for the felling of up to 100 trees for exploratory drilling in forest areas and consider it “forest activity,” so as to keep it outside the purview of the Forest (Conservation) Act, which mandates clearance for non-forest activity. The Committee’s decision was made after the Power Ministry’s secretary argued that similar exemptions were already in place for mining activities, and that the purpose of setting up hydropower and pumped storage projects was to “to reduce dependence on fossil fuel based electricity” and increase the share of renewable energy “to tackle climate change.” The FAC Committee is a statutory body that advises the government on matters related to the conservation and use of forest land for non-forestry purposes under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. The Ministry of Power is in the midst of redrafting its hydropower policy “in order to give boost to development of hydro power projects for clean energy,” the secretary wrote in his letter to the Committee, which met to discuss the issue on July 4. The policy redraft includes promoting pumped storage hydro projects – a type of hydropower system that generates electricity by moving water from one reservoir to another at&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2024/08/exploratory-drilling-for-hydro-pumped-storage-should-be-exempt-from-clearance-forest-committee/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>[Video] Hydropower in the Himalayas and disaster risks</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/01/video-hydropower-in-the-himalayas-and-disaster-risks/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/01/video-hydropower-in-the-himalayas-and-disaster-risks/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>12 Jan 2024 13:56:12 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Sadhika Tiwari]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[disaster]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hydropower]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mountains]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2024/01/12112540/Hydel_project_on_Dikchu_a_tributary_of_Teesta_AJTJ_DSCN7049-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=26035</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy and Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Himalayas, India, and Uttarakhand]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Hydroelectric power, Mountains, Renewable Energy, and Rivers]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[“There’s no light or water, but I stay here with my kids. All houses are like this; they are sinking,” says Anita, an agricultural labourer from Joshimath, Uttarakhand, pointing to the severe cracks in her house. This was the result of the rapid subsidence that took place in early 2023. Thousands of houses in the [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[“There’s no light or water, but I stay here with my kids. All houses are like this; they are sinking,” says Anita, an agricultural labourer from Joshimath, Uttarakhand, pointing to the severe cracks in her house. This was the result of the rapid subsidence that took place in early 2023. Thousands of houses in the hilly Himalayan town developed cracks and it became unsafe for the residents to live there. They had to be evacuated and relocated. However, some residents returned to their unsafe houses, as they found it challenging to earn a living from temporary shelters located far away. In addition to land subsidence, several villages in the mountainous regions of Uttarakhand also witness other frequent disasters, including floods, cloudbursts, landslides and cold waves. According to experts, the fragile mountainous region cannot bear the brunt of rampant development and construction. They have repeatedly raised concerns about the carrying capacity of the fragile Himalayan terrain and the need to caution while developing infrastructure. This Himalayan landscape is also the site of numerous dams or hydropower projects to produce electricity. Energy infrastructure in the mountains Hydropower, considered a clean energy source, accounts for about 14% of India&#8217;s installed power capacity as of 2023. Dams are also considered a reliable addition to solar and wind energy, which are variable by nature. Uttarakhand is the state with the highest number of dams in the country. While the government denies any links between hydropower and the sinking situation in Joshimath, some experts and residents&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2024/01/video-hydropower-in-the-himalayas-and-disaster-risks/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>[Commentary] Take a deep breath and rethink infrastructure development in the Himalayas</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2023/12/commentary-take-a-deep-breath-and-rethink-infrastructure-development-in-the-himalayas/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2023/12/commentary-take-a-deep-breath-and-rethink-infrastructure-development-in-the-himalayas/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>26 Dec 2023 12:37:29 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Usha Rai]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[buildings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[carrying capacity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Himalayas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Infrastructure]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2023/12/26122906/Himalayas_truck_stop-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=25817</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections and Flood and drought]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Himalayas and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Hydroelectric power and Mountains]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Despite repeated warning from geologists and environmentalists about the fragile status of the Himalayas and the need for utmost caution while constructing dams, roads, power plants or tunnels, haphazard construction for energy, increased revenue from tourism and pilgrimages continues unabated. The collapse of the under-construction Silkyara tunnel on the Brahmkhal-Yamunotri highway in Uttarakhand is the [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Despite repeated warning from geologists and environmentalists about the fragile status of the Himalayas and the need for utmost caution while constructing dams, roads, power plants or tunnels, haphazard construction for energy, increased revenue from tourism and pilgrimages continues unabated. The collapse of the under-construction Silkyara tunnel on the Brahmkhal-Yamunotri highway in Uttarakhand is the latest in the chain of disasters that almost killed 41 workers who were trapped in it for 17 days from November 12. Were geologists or engineers overseeing the construction of the tunnel? Manish Khalko, the managing director of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd, said the falling of the debris in the under-construction tunnel was a recurring feature but no one expected it would be severe enough to trap the workers inside. While it is true that the rescue of the workers was a Herculean task deserving all praise, the questions to be asked are: Why did the tunnel collapse? Was the fragility of the mountain system kept in mind while digging the long tunnel through the heart of the mountainous region? Was it preventable? Read more: [Commentary] The Himalayas, an earthquake and glacial floods A ticking time bomb In fact, with the steady decimation of forests, torrential rains and landslides becoming chronic, the government needs to relook at all its projects in the Himalayas and this includes the Char Dham Yatra route, the power projects and road widening for increased traffic. Eminent ecologist Madhav Gadgil and environmental activist Sunita Narain of the Centre&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2023/12/commentary-take-a-deep-breath-and-rethink-infrastructure-development-in-the-himalayas/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2023/12/commentary-take-a-deep-breath-and-rethink-infrastructure-development-in-the-himalayas/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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					<title>Glacial lake outburst floods are a growing threat to hydropower plants</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2023/10/glacial-lake-outburst-floods-are-a-growing-threat-to-hydropower-plants/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2023/10/glacial-lake-outburst-floods-are-a-growing-threat-to-hydropower-plants/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>13 Oct 2023 15:12:40 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hydroelectric Power]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2023/10/13135827/Tehri_Dam_on_the_Bhagirathi_Garhwal_India-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=24881</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy and Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Himalayas and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Dams, Hydroelectric power, and Water]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The breach of the South Lhonak lake in Sikkim that caused the deaths of at least 35 people and the complete destruction of the state’s largest hydropower plant has put the spotlight on the growing risks of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) on large dams in the Himalayas. India has 5,334 large dams, hundreds of [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
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							<![CDATA[The breach of the South Lhonak lake in Sikkim that caused the deaths of at least 35 people and the complete destruction of the state’s largest hydropower plant has put the spotlight on the growing risks of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) on large dams in the Himalayas. India has 5,334 large dams, hundreds of which are in the Himalayan ranges. In February this year, the government said another 30 large hydroelectric projects (HEPs) of over 25 megawatts each were in the pipeline in Himalayan states. Himalayan rivers have been a rich source of hydroelectric power for India and have fuelled the country’s ambition to harness this energy to meet its renewable energy goals. But the onset of climate change, compounded by high seismic activity, is likely to make these projects more vulnerable, particularly if their rivers are connected to glacial lakes. Global warming is causing glaciers to lose their mass rapidly and leading to the formation of glacial lakes. These lakes, which have the potential to hold huge amounts of water, carry the risk of bursting due to a number of reasons, like earthquakes, avalanches, large pieces of ice falling into the lake, or erosion of the walls holding the lake. For perspective, the South Lhonak lake in Sikkim was deep enough to submerge a five storey building with ease, said researcher Ashim Sattar. GLOFs pose a risk to human life and settlements that exist further downstream. The 2013 cloudburst in Uttarakhand’s Kedarnath, that caused the Chorabari glacier to&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2023/10/glacial-lake-outburst-floods-are-a-growing-threat-to-hydropower-plants/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2023/10/glacial-lake-outburst-floods-are-a-growing-threat-to-hydropower-plants/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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					<title>Multiple hydropower projects on the Chenab river ring alarm bells</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/07/multiple-hydropower-projects-on-the-chenab-river-ring-alarm-bells/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/07/multiple-hydropower-projects-on-the-chenab-river-ring-alarm-bells/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>07 Jul 2022 12:42:28 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Anzer AyoobMubashir Naik]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mayank Aggarwal]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hydropower]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rivers]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2022/07/07123423/River_Chenab_Ramban-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=18980</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Jammu and Kashmir]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy, Earth Science, Energy, Hydroelectric power, Rivers, and Water]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[More than half a dozen hydropower projects are under various stages of development on the Chenab river in the Kashmir of India, even though there have been repeated warnings from environmentalists, geologists, and other experts about the dangers of unchecked growth of such projects. The Chenab river originates in Baralacha pass in Himachal Pradesh and [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[More than half a dozen hydropower projects are under various stages of development on the Chenab river in the Kashmir of India, even though there have been repeated warnings from environmentalists, geologists, and other experts about the dangers of unchecked growth of such projects. The Chenab river originates in Baralacha pass in Himachal Pradesh and flows through Kishtwar, Doda, Ramban, Reasi and Akhnoor districts in Jammu and Kashmir in India, for over 500 kilometres, before flowing to Pakistan. In Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir together, more than two dozen hydropower projects have been planned on the river and its tributaries. One such place is Chenab Valley in Kashmir, which is an active seismic zone and has a history of earthquakes. On May 1, 2013, an earthquake of magnitude 5.8 on the Richter scale hit the Chenab Valley resulting in two deaths and injuring 69 people. Subsequently, the seismic activity continued in the valley throughout 2013, prompting teams of seismologists to study the area. G.M. Bhat, a geologist at Jammu University, who has been conducting research on earthquakes in the region, warns against the unchecked development of such dams. &#8220;Earthquakes and cloudbursts have been more frequent in Chenab Valley over the past few years, and if they happen close to lakes or dam sites, the combined volume of water will wash away the downstream habitation,&#8221; Bhat told Mongabay-India. &#8220;Chenab Valley is located in seismic zone 4, which is extremely vulnerable to powerful earthquakes and occurs regularly … The government should&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2022/07/multiple-hydropower-projects-on-the-chenab-river-ring-alarm-bells/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Kinnaur’s chilgoza pine trees make way for hydropower projects</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/05/kinnaurs-chilgoza-pine-trees-make-way-for-hydropower-projects/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/05/kinnaurs-chilgoza-pine-trees-make-way-for-hydropower-projects/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 May 2022 13:16:32 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Vivek Gupta]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[deforestation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hydropower]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trees]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2022/05/23115655/Chilgoza-trees-in-the-forest-area-of-Kinnaur-districts-Jangram-valley-Pic-credit-Sumit-Mahar-Himdhara-Collective-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=18330</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Himachal Pradesh and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Deforestation, Hydroelectric power, and Trees]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[India’s growing energy requirements have made Kinnaur a major hub of hydro projects in Himachal Pradesh, particularly over the past two to three decades. As a result, there has been a large-scale diversion of forest land and cutting of trees, including chilgoza pine trees, for the construction of dams. Chilgoza pine (Pinus gerardiana), called champions [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[India’s growing energy requirements have made Kinnaur a major hub of hydro projects in Himachal Pradesh, particularly over the past two to three decades. As a result, there has been a large-scale diversion of forest land and cutting of trees, including chilgoza pine trees, for the construction of dams. Chilgoza pine (Pinus gerardiana), called champions of high mountains, have grown and survived for centuries on high slopes, inaccessible and difficult terrains. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2011 categorised chilgoza tree as near threatened as they continue to decline throughout their range, with an estimated decline of close to 30%. In India, these trees are mainly concentrated in the Kinnaur district and are important cash crops here. High slopes of Kinnaur mountains that once had tall chilgoza trees look fragile these days. Photo by Tashi Chewang Lippa. Jangram valley of Kinnaur district has the highest concentration of chilgoza trees in the country. In 2018, the state government gave approval to set up the 804 MW Jangi-Thopan Powari (JTP) Hydro Electric Project, which has become a major point of discontentment among the locals with campaigns protesting against hydel projects in their area. Recently, all the six gram panchayats affected by this project summoned gram sabhas and passed a resolution to reject permission for the project, which, as per initial project report will take over 350 acres (143 hectares) of forest land. Jiya Lal, convenor of Kinnaur-based conservation group, Himlok Jagriti Manch, told Mongabay-India that if this project is allowed&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2022/05/kinnaurs-chilgoza-pine-trees-make-way-for-hydropower-projects/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>As Lohari village is submerged for a dam, homes, farms and memories are drowned</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/05/as-lohari-village-is-submerged-for-a-dam-homes-farms-and-memories-are-drowned/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/05/as-lohari-village-is-submerged-for-a-dam-homes-farms-and-memories-are-drowned/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>10 May 2022 11:34:46 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Kapil Kajal]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Displacement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[floods]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hydroelectric Power]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rivers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yamuna]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2022/05/09165808/Displaced-people-living-in-the-school1-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=18189</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy and The India Water Story]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India and Uttarakhand]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Clean Energy, Dams, Floods, Hydroelectric power, and Rivers]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Sukhpal Singh Tomar, 53, a resident of Lohari village in Uttarakhand and a teacher by profession, narrates the incident that led to the the loss of his home. “It will be nearly a month after the submergence of the village, but the villagers could not forget what happened to them. Our village is a tribal [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Sukhpal Singh Tomar, 53, a resident of Lohari village in Uttarakhand and a teacher by profession, narrates the incident that led to the the loss of his home. “It will be nearly a month after the submergence of the village, but the villagers could not forget what happened to them. Our village is a tribal village and it is said that our village was home to Pandavas (Hindu mythological characters). Even today, we follow Pandavas traditions.” Around a month ago, on April 11 in Lohari village, home to indigenous communities of Uttarakhand’s Jaunsar-Bawar region, homes, farmlands and cowsheds were submerged in the waters of the reservoir built as part of the Vyasi hydropower project. The 120-megawatt Vyasi Hydroelectric Project proposed to be constructed in Dehradun district of the hill state is part of the 420 MW Lakhwar-Vyasi project, the biggest hydroelectric dam complex on the Yamuna River and will address electricity requirements. The project with a proposed installation of 120 MW is expected to generate an annual energy generation of 375.22 MU in a 90% dependable year. Lohari village after being submerged. The residents were given two days notice to evict the village and find a place to live. Photo by Kapil Kajal. “I have spent my entire childhood in the village. I have seen my children growing up here. I have performed my husband’s last rites here,” said an emotional 95-year-old Gumani Devi, a resident of the village in the Vikas Nagar area of Uttarakhand. A total of six&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2022/05/as-lohari-village-is-submerged-for-a-dam-homes-farms-and-memories-are-drowned/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Manipur’s push for dams threatens local ecology and communities</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/04/manipurs-push-for-dams-threatens-local-ecology-and-communities/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/04/manipurs-push-for-dams-threatens-local-ecology-and-communities/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>01 Apr 2022 13:36:26 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Snigdhendu Bhattacharya]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mayank Aggarwal]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[communities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dam]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[habitat loss]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[livelihood]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2022/04/01091233/A-fisherman-rows-his-boat-inside-the-lake-through-a-channel-between-two-the-phumdis-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=17679</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy and Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India and Manipur]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Alternative energy, Clean Energy, Energy, Green Energy, Hydroelectric power, and Renewable Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[“Ngamu, pengba, ngaton or khabak, ngakra …” Tongbram Ahongjao names fish varieties that have gone missing from his environment over the past 40 years. A sexagenarian resident of Thanga, an island village inside Loktak, the largest freshwater lake of northeastern India located in Manipur state, he has seen the lake area change. “Moirang phou, kakching [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[“Ngamu, pengba, ngaton or khabak, ngakra …” Tongbram Ahongjao names fish varieties that have gone missing from his environment over the past 40 years. A sexagenarian resident of Thanga, an island village inside Loktak, the largest freshwater lake of northeastern India located in Manipur state, he has seen the lake area change. “Moirang phou, kakching phou, chimlei, tao thabi&#8230;,” he continues, speaking of rice varieties that disappeared from the lowlands around the lake. To be fair, the lowlands disappeared in the first place. At some mythological time, Poubi Lai, the giant, dragon-headed python, which lived under the waters of the Loktak lake, ate one man every night, until King Kabui Salang Maiba killed it with a trick, goes the legend. For centuries, Poubi Lai symbolised disaster at the community level for the Loktak people. Then, four decades ago, in 1983, disaster came in the shape of a hydropower project, say the local people &#8211; the Ithai barrage on Manipur (or Imphal) river that uses Loktak as the reservoir. As of March 2022, the Loktak multipurpose project is Manipur&#8217;s only functional hydropower project, with an installed capacity of 105 megawatts (MW) of electricity, and is Manipur’s main source of power. Ithai Barrage has blocked the path of the migratory fishes causing an economic toll on the fishing community. Photo by Snigdhendu Bhattacharya/Mongabay. Declared a Ramsar site, or wetland of global importance in 1990, it was listed in the Montreux Record as early as 1993, signifying “Ramsar sites where changes in ecological&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2022/04/manipurs-push-for-dams-threatens-local-ecology-and-communities/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>How India’s public sector units can impact the clean energy transition</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/03/how-indias-public-sector-units-can-impact-the-clean-energy-transition/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/03/how-indias-public-sector-units-can-impact-the-clean-energy-transition/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>11 Mar 2022 12:58:56 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Mayank Aggarwal]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mayank Aggarwal]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Clean Energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Energy access]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[energy transition]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2022/03/11074044/Banner-1-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=17416</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy and Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Alternative energy, Clean Energy, Coal, Energy, Green Energy, Hydroelectric power, and Renewable Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The 2022-2030 period is significant for India’s energy transition and the rapid adoption of clean energy. Particularly crucial is India’s energy behemoths in the public sector – Coal India Limited (CIL), the world’s single largest coal producer, and the NTPC, the thermal power giant – diversifying their business portfolios into renewable energy sector. India has [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The 2022-2030 period is significant for India’s energy transition and the rapid adoption of clean energy. Particularly crucial is India’s energy behemoths in the public sector – Coal India Limited (CIL), the world’s single largest coal producer, and the NTPC, the thermal power giant – diversifying their business portfolios into renewable energy sector. India has a target of installed capacity of 450 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy by 2030 from about 105.8 Gigawatts (GW) in January 2022. Over the last year, most of the top and large energy players – both public and private sector – announced ambitious energy transition plans. However, the clean energy transition path, announced by the likes of CIL and the NTPC, as a result of the government’s international climate commitments announcements, inspires confidence in the direction that the sector is taking. In June 2021, NTPC had announced a target of installing 60 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2032, making it a significant part of its energy generation portfolio. It accounts (till March 2020) for about 16.78 percent of India’s total national capacity and 20.96 percent of total power generation. The total installed capacity of the company is 68.56 GW which includes 24 coal-based projects, 7 gas-based, 13 solar, and one each of hydro, wind, and small-hydro. In fact, the NTPC started diversifying into green industries several years ago. In August 2016, NTPC issued Green Masala Bonds (GMBs) – issued outside of India but denominated in Indian rupee – for the first time and its&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2022/03/how-indias-public-sector-units-can-impact-the-clean-energy-transition/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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