No new hydel projects can come up in upper Ganga, govt. tells SC, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• The Union government has informed the Supreme Court that no new hydroelectric projects will be permitted in the upper reaches of the Ganga in Uttarakhand.
• This decision was conveyed in a joint affidavit by the Ministries of Environment, Jal Shakti, and Power on May 19.
• Seven hydroelectric projects already commissioned or substantially built, with a total capacity of over 2,150 MW, will continue.
• The government cited the cumulative impact of dams, seismic fragility, and disasters like the 2013 Kedarnath cloudburst and the 2025 Dharali flash flood as reasons for its decision.

Detailed Insights:

• The government's rationale for allowing the seven ongoing projects is that they have absorbed substantial investment and do not fall within the Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone.
• The Supreme Court had constituted a committee chaired by the Cabinet Secretary in August 2024 to review the projects, following concerns raised after the 2013 Kedarnath floods.
• The committee initially narrowed down 21 projects to five, but the government ultimately declined to approve even those five due to environmental concerns.
• The decision marks a shift, as the Power Ministry had previously advocated for additional projects in the region as recently as November 2024.
• Expert committees, including one led by Ravi Chopra in 2014, had raised concerns about the severe ecological impact of hydroelectric projects in the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi basins.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Hydroelectric Project: A facility that generates electricity by using the energy of moving water.
• Seismic Fragility: The vulnerability of a structure or area to damage from earthquakes.
• Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone: A protected area along the Bhagirathi River aimed at preserving its ecology.