Centre Rules Out New Ganga Hydel Projects
The Centre has informed the Supreme Court that it is not in favour of allowing any new hydro-electric projects in the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi river basins of Uttarakhand, except seven projects that are already operational or have made substantial construction progress.
Supreme Court Ganga Hydel Projects Case
The affidavit was filed before the Supreme Court in a long-running matter concerning the environmental impact of hydro-electric projects in the upper Ganga basin. The Centre said no fresh dam or hydro-electric project should be permitted in the ecologically sensitive region beyond the identified seven projects.
The position is significant because the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi are the two main headstreams of the Ganga, and large-scale construction in these river basins has faced repeated environmental and safety concerns.
Uttarakhand Hydro Projects Under Review
The Union government has indicated that the seven projects already commissioned or substantially built may be allowed to proceed, subject to regulatory and environmental safeguards. However, it has opposed any new projects in the region.
The stand comes against the backdrop of Himalayan disasters, including floods, landslides and concerns over fragile mountain ecology. Environmental groups have long argued that multiple hydel projects in the upper Ganga basin increase risks to river flow, slope stability and local communities.
Upper Ganga Basin Environmental Concerns
The issue has wider implications for energy planning, river conservation and disaster risk management in Uttarakhand. While hydropower is often presented as a clean energy source, projects in fragile Himalayan terrain have raised concerns over tunnelling, blasting, muck dumping and cumulative ecological damage.
The Supreme Court is expected to consider the Centre’s affidavit while examining the future of hydro-electric development in the upper Ganga basin.
