The Centre has told the Supreme Court it opposes any new hydropower projects in Uttarakhand’s upper Ganga basin beyond seven ongoing projects.
The government cited ecological fragility, seismic vulnerability and biodiversity concerns in the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi river basins.
The Supreme Court has been examining the issue since the 2013 Kedarnath disaster and multiple expert panels have given conflicting recommendations on hydropower expansion.
Centre Opposes New Hydropower Projects in Upper Ganga Basin, Tells Supreme Court
The Union government submitted its position through a joint affidavit filed by the Ministries of Jal Shakti and Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Summary
In a major policy shift aimed at protecting the fragile Himalayan ecosystem and the upper Ganga river basin in Uttarakhand, the Centre on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that it is not in favour of allowing any new hydroelectric projects in the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi river basins, apart from seven projects already commissioned or in advanced stages of construction.
The Union government submitted its position through a joint affidavit filed by the Ministries of Jal Shakti and Environment, Forest and Climate Change in the ongoing Supreme Court proceedings related to hydropower projects in the upper reaches of the Ganga.
Which Hydropower Projects Will Continue?
The Centre said only seven projects would be allowed to proceed, subject to strict environmental safeguards and statutory compliance.
These projects are:
Tehri Stage-II (1000 MW)
Tapovan Vishnugad (520 MW)
Vishnugad Pipalkoti (444 MW)
Signoli Bhatwari (99 MW)
Phata Byung (76 MW)
Madhmaheshwar (15 MW)
Kaliganga-II (4.5 MW)
The government clarified that no other new hydroelectric projects should be undertaken in the upper reaches of the Ganga basin in Uttarakhand.
Why Has the Centre Opposed New Projects?
The Centre argued that the Ganga river system requires “special treatment” because of its ecological, geological and cultural significance.
In its affidavit, the government said the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi basins contain critical headstreams of the Ganga and play an essential role in maintaining river biodiversity and ecological balance.
The affidavit also highlighted the region’s vulnerability to landslides, flash floods, glacial lake outburst floods, avalanches and cloudbursts due to its location in Seismic Zones IV and V of the Himalayan region.
The Centre further said previous expert recommendations supporting more hydropower projects failed to adequately assess the cumulative environmental impact of multiple dams and other human activities in the region.
SC Case After Kedarnath Disaster
The Supreme Court has been examining the issue since the devastating 2013 Kedarnath floods, which killed more than 5,000 people.
Following the disaster, the court imposed a moratorium on new hydropower clearances in the upper Ganga basin and directed the government to study the ecological impact of such projects.
Over the years, multiple expert committees have submitted differing recommendations:
A 2014 committee led by environmentalist Ravi Chopra concluded hydropower projects worsened the disaster and opposed 24 proposed projects.
A 2015 panel under IIT-Kanpur’s Vinod Tare warned of serious ecological impacts from several projects.
A 2020 committee headed by engineer B P Das later recommended allowing 28 projects.
However, the Centre ultimately decided in 2021 to allow only seven projects where work had already substantially progressed.
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Environmental Concerns Over Upper Ganga Basin
The government’s latest affidavit also cited concerns over maintaining environmental flow (e-flow), protecting aquatic biodiversity and preserving the religious and cultural importance of the Ganga river system.
Officials said unrestricted hydropower expansion could severely impact the river’s free flow and further weaken the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.
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