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Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Business
- Indian Express
India, China and the Brahmaputra front
Last week, the Chinese government started work on the construction of a massive hydropower project on the Yarlung Zangbo, just before the river bends and enters Arunachal Pradesh, where it is called the Siang. The river then flows into Assam, where it is called the Brahmaputra. The $170 billion project, linked to Beijing's developmental goals in the Tibetan region, is expected to generate 60 GW of electricity, roughly three times more than the Three Gorges Dam. The project has stirred old anxieties in the river's downstream, especially in Arunachal Pradesh and Bangladesh. Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu has described the Chinese project as a 'ticking water bomb'. An increase in the Chinese capacity to manipulate the river's flows once the dam is constructed could increase the risks of floods in the country's Northeast, he has said. The fact that very little is known of the project's storage capacity has aggravated the unease. The risk could also stem from sudden surges in downstream flows — from unannounced water releases or from increased discharge as a result of the warming climate or even engineering errors. Hydrology experts fear that the Chinese project could disrupt water flow to the hydro projects proposed in the country's Northeast — the region holds nearly half of India's hydropower potential, over 80 per cent of which remains untapped. India's Brahmaputra predicament is unlike that of most lower riparian states. The river gains most of its volume only after it enters Arunachal Pradesh, fed by largely river-fed tributaries in the Eastern Himalaya, such as the Lohit and the Dibang. In the Brahmaputra's lower riparian regions, the unpredictability of flood patterns is already a big challenge. The fears about inundation due to the river's changing flows are, therefore, not unfounded. In 2013, India and China signed a MoU on sharing information on river flows. But, by all accounts, Beijing has not always been open to sharing hydrological data. A more effective response to the Chinese dam would be to build up the defences of vulnerable regions in the Northeast. In 2017, when the Yarlung Zangbo dam was still at a planning stage, Niti Aayog had proposed a multipurpose project in the Siang region as a strategic counter to the Chinese hydro station. Besides generating electricity, the project's storage facility can cushion the Northeast from the risks of being flooded by water released from the Chinese dam. However, work on the Siang dam has progressed at a slow pace, largely because a section of the local population has opposed the project. The Ministry of Jal Shakti tasked the National Hydro Power Corporation to prepare a pre-feasibility report but vital investigations have not been conducted. Fears about displacement and livelihood losses have found expression in the opposition to the Siang project. The political class and technical experts must come together to build safeguards and remove such apprehensions. The work on building storage facilities downstream of the Brahmaputra cannot be postponed.
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Climate
- Time of India
A ticking time bomb in the Himalayas? Govt flags 100 dams at risk of glacial lake outburst floods
Over 100 dams in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Jammu & Kashmir are vulnerable to sudden flash floods triggered by glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), according to the govt. The warning for the six Himalayan states has been issued by the Central Water Commission (CWC), which comes under Ministry of Jal Shakti, last week. The directive comes amid mounting concerns over rapidly melting glaciers and swelling glacial lakes, largely attributed to climate change. According to recent research, the Indian Himalayas now have over 329 glacial lakes larger than 0.05 sq km—nearly 70% larger in area than in 1990. Many of these are perilously close to critical downstream infrastructure. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Technology others Data Science Healthcare Data Analytics Leadership Degree Cybersecurity Design Thinking Others PGDM Finance Artificial Intelligence Product Management Operations Management Public Policy healthcare Digital Marketing MCA MBA Project Management Management Data Science CXO Skills you'll gain: Duration: 12 Weeks MIT xPRO CERT-MIT XPRO Building AI Prod India Starts on undefined Get Details India is home to over 6,000 large dams—ranking third globally—and has already experienced the devastating consequences of GLOFs. The 2021 Chamoli disaster in Uttarakhand and the 2023 breach of the Teesta-III dam in Sikkim, after South Lhonak Lake overflowed, are stark reminders of the threat. The CWC has identified avalanches, landslides, and earthquakes as key triggers of GLOF events. To address these, the new guidelines recommend a combination of structural and non-structural safety measures. For new dams, the guidelines require the inclusion of high-capacity spillways, high-speed sluices, and gates that can open rapidly—1.5 to 2 metres per minute—to prevent overtopping during sudden surges. Live Events Existing dams are advised to retrofit mechanical hoists, reinforce piers, and upgrade critical components such as gates, trunnions, and power packs. The use of high-performance concrete and downstream sediment traps has also been recommended. For earthen dams, additional safeguards like parapet walls and reinforced riverbanks are advised. At the source, structural measures like siphoning of lake water, building artificial drainage channels, and installing debris-trapping weirs are encouraged wherever feasible. The Chorabari glacier near Kedarnath—retreating at 7 metres per year between 1976 and 2016—is just one example of emerging threats from shrinking glaciers. Non-structural measures include early warning systems, SCADA-based gate controls, satellite-enabled communication, and comprehensive emergency action plans. In hydropower cascades, upstream reservoirs are expected to maintain lower water levels during monsoon as a buffer against sudden inflows, with downstream operators sharing related costs. The CWC has also urged better coordination with defence agencies for real-time monitoring and rapid response during emergencies.
New Indian Express
16-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Talks on Banakacherla premature, untenable: Telangana government to Jal Shakti ministry
HYDERABAD: The Telangana government has requested the Ministry of Jal Shakti to either revise the agenda for Wednesday's meeting of chief ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh or defer any discussion on the AP government's proposed Polavaram-Banakacherla link project until all statutory requirements, interstate consultations and clearances are fully complied with and all objections resolved. It also requested inclusion of the items proposed by it in the agenda for the meeting. Any discussion on AP's project was 'premature and untenable', Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao said in a letter to the Secretary of Jal Shakti. Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil has convened a meeting in Delhi on Wednesday with chief ministers of Telangana and AP, A Revanth Reddy and N Chandrababu Naidu, and to discuss river water issues. The AP government submitted Polavaram-Banakacherla as an agenda item. Telangana has objected to a discussion on AP's project 'at this juncture'. There is no clarity on whether the Jal Shakti Ministry will drop the Banakacherla item from the agenda or not. If the ministry does not drop it, Revanth might stage a walkout from the meeting after registering his dissent, sources said. However, he is expected to make his stand crystal clear on all irrigation-related issues of the state before walking out, the sources added. Meanwhile, the chief secretary in his letter said: 'Given the unresolved and substantive objections of the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA), Godavari River Management Board (GRMB), Central Water Commission (CWC), and the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC), the lack of statutory clearances, and the ongoing violations of binding legal provisions and tribunal awards, it is unequivocally premature and procedurally untenable to discuss the Godavari-Banakacherla Link Project at this stage. Proceeding otherwise would undermine the authority of the Government of India's own regulatory mechanisms and set a precedent contrary to the rule of law.' 'The government of Telangana appreciates the initiative to address inter-state water issues. However, we must formally place on record our objections to the inclusion and discussion of the Godavari-Banakacherla (Polavaram-Banakacherla) Link Project at this juncture, and request that the agenda be revised accordingly,' Ramakrishna Rao said in the letter to the Secretary of the Ministry of Jal Shakti on Monday.
New Indian Express
16-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Banakacherla violates law, Icchampally beneficial for both States: Expert
HYDERABAD: Former adviser to Ministry of Jal Shakti and former chairman of the Task Force on Interlinking of Rivers Sriram Vedire has said that the Polavaram-Banakacherla project, proposed by the Andhra Pradesh government, was against the law of the land. He suggested that the Icchampally project, as proposed under interlinking of rivers, would be beneficial for both the states. At a 'Meet the Press' programme organised by Kappara Prasad Rao of Telangana Journalists Union on 'Godavari Waters: Facts and Figures — A Way Forward for Telugu States' here on Tuesday, Sriram said that the AP government proposed the Polavaram-Banakacherla project to utilise floodwaters. He, however, said that there was no concept of utilising floodwaters in the country till date. 'AP is saying that it will utilise floodwaters for Banakacherla. Floodwater is a mirage. It is not a fact. It is illusionary. The Central Water Commission (CWC) did not study floodwaters. There is no official word or sanctity given by the CWC to the concept of floodwaters in the country. The states have no right to plan projects on floodwaters,' he said. He recalled that nearly 50 per cent of the catchment area of Godavari was in Maharashtra. There would be no end if all the seven co-basin states started constructing projects based on floodwaters, he said. As per the available water, according to the 75 per cent dependability, AP had no right to construct the Banakacherla project, he said and recalled that the CWC sought the views of all the seven stakeholder states, besides the opinions of Polavaram Project Authority and Godavari River Management Board. Sriram said that there are no surplus waters at 75% dependability as clearly reported by the CWC and therefore no project is possible on surplus waters. The utilisation of average waters is not possible as per the law of the land. It is difficult to apportion the average waters amongst the co-basin states as projects with combination of 75% dependability and average flows will not blend together, he said. Based on these facts, the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) proposed the Godavari-Cauvery (G-C) link project at Icchampally by proposing to utilise the unutilised assured waters (at 75% dependability) of Chhattisgarh state. Going with this link plan is the best possible way for the states of Telangana and AP, Sriram said. This link project utilises the unutilised waters of Chhattisgarh and it would not touch the assured allocated waters of both the Telugu states. The responsibility to convince Chhattisgarh lies with the Central government. He said around 90% funding to this project is likely to come from the Centre and the remaining 10% from the beneficiary states. 'Through this link project, both Telangana and AP can utilise around 100 tmcft each,' Sriram added.
NDTV
16-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Telangana Says No To Discussion On Andhra's Banakacherla Project Ahead Of Key Meet
Hyderabad: Ahead of a crucial meeting of the chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to discuss inter-state river water issues, the Telangana Government has formally lodged a strong objection to the inclusion of the Godavari-Banakacherla link project on the agenda. In a sharply worded letter addressed to the Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, Telangana's Chief Secretary asserted that any discussion on the project at this juncture is "unequivocally premature and procedurally untenable" due to numerous legal and procedural violations. The meeting, convened by the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti on Wednesday afternoon, aimed to facilitate dialogue between the two Telugu states. The Telangana government requested that the agenda for the upcoming meeting be revised, given the lack of statutory clearances and ongoing violations of binding legal provisions and tribunal awards. It sought to defer any discussion on the Godavari-Banakacherla link project until all statutory requirements, inter-state consultations, and clearances are fully complied with and all objections are resolved. Telangana also reiterated its request for its own outstanding issues and proposals to be duly included in the agenda. On Tuesday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and discussed the project. Mr Naidu said the project only seeks to divert 200 TMC of surplus waters to drought-prone areas, and as the last riparian state, Andhra Pradesh should have the right to do so. Telangana's Objections Telangana's letter meticulously outlined a series of profound objections to the Godavari-Banakacherla link project. It argued that the project fundamentally violates the 1980 Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) Award and the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. It contends that the project proposes to alter water allocations and project operations without the mandatory consultation and consent of all co-basin states, as required by the GWDT Award (Annexures G and H) and the Reorganisation Act (Sections 85(8)(d) and 90). The proposal to divert water beyond the 80 TMC limit at 75% dependability would also trigger mandatory sharing among all basin states, which has not been addressed. The Telangana government highlighted the absence of crucial statutory clearances from key central agencies. The project reportedly lacks approvals from the Central Water Commission (CWC), Godavari River Management Board (GRMB), Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), and the Apex Council. These clearances are mandated under the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, and the GWDT Award. Telangana stated that the Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) submitted by Andhra Pradesh suffers from "critical data gaps and methodological deficiencies," particularly concerning water availability assumptions and technical feasibility. The CWC itself has raised fundamental questions regarding water availability computations and the need for a simulation study. The state also said the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has already rejected the project proposal, citing violations of legal and procedural requirements. Furthermore, the parent Polavaram project, from which 200 TMC of floodwaters are proposed to be diverted, faces unresolved submergence issues in Odisha and Chhattisgarh, which are sub judice, making any linked diversion proposal premature. The project has not obtained environmental clearance. Telangana asserted that the proposed diversion of 200 TMC of floodwaters from Polavaram is unilateral, fundamentally alters the operation schedule of the Polavaram Project, and directly impacts Telangana's rightful share of Godavari water, especially for its drought-prone regions. Objections By Central Agencies: Telangana's letter also noted that its objections are echoed by various Government of India agencies and statutory bodies: It said the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) has indicated that the proposed 200 TMC diversion is not part of the approved Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Polavaram and requires a comprehensive study and compliance with the tribunal awards. It said the diversion could only be considered after the Polavaram Project's completion to Full Reservoir Level and submission of a revised DPR. In the letter, it also said the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) highlighted that the diversion alters the scope and operation schedule of the Polavaram Project, requiring prior consultation and written consent from all co-basin states as per the GWDT Award. It also stressed the absence of a mutually agreed-upon apportionment of Godavari waters between the two states. Telangana said the Central Water Commission (CWC) has questioned water availability assumptions in the PFR, demanding accurate dependability computations and a simulation study to establish technical feasibility. It also said the Expert Appraisal Committee had returned the proposal due to potential GWDT Award violations and the necessity of inter-state issue resolution and clearances from CWC before further processing.
