Why in news?

The Union Government has informed the Supreme Court that it does not support new hydroelectric projects on the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers, the main headstreams of the Ganga, marking a significant policy shift.

The issue gained prominence after the 2013 Kedarnath disaster, following which the Supreme Court ordered a review of existing and proposed hydropower projects in Uttarakhand and halted fresh environmental and forest clearances.

The government’s current unified position comes after more than a decade of internal disagreements, balancing Uttarakhand’s economic interests, the need to preserve ecological flow in the Ganga, and concerns over the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Committees, Reviews and Policy Deadlock
• Revisiting Hydropower Assessments in Upper Ganga
• Conclusion

Committees, Reviews and Policy Deadlock

• Following the Supreme Court’s 2013 order, the Environment Ministry set up an expert panel led by Ravi Chopra to assess whether hydropower projects worsened the Kedarnath disaster and threatened biodiversity in the upper Ganga basin.
• The committee concluded that 23 of 24 proposed hydroelectric projects would harm biodiversity, a view supported by the Environment Ministry.
• Institutional Disagreement
  • The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and Central Water Commission (CWC) opposed this conclusion, arguing that hydropower had a minimal ecological footprint and was not linked to the 2013 disaster.
  • Meanwhile, project developers approached the Supreme Court seeking removal of the clearance freeze.
• Second Expert body (EB-II)
  • In 2015, the Supreme Court directed the formation of a second panel under B.P. Das to examine:
    • Cumulative environmental impact
    • Carrying capacity of the Ganga basin
    • Glacial movement and seismic risks
    • Socio-economic implications
• Continued Policy Deadlock
  • EB-II initially cleared the six disputed projects. However, internal differences emerged between the Environment Ministry, Jal Shakti Ministry, and Power Ministry, delaying a final decision.
  • In its broader review of 70 hydropower projects, EB-II found:
    • 19 already operational
    • Recommended 28 of the remaining 51 projects
  • However, the Jal Shakti Ministry opposed these recommendations in 2019, prolonging the deadlock.
  • In 2021, the Centre adopted a compromise position, supporting only seven projects that were already substantially completed or had advanced financial investments.

Revisiting Hydropower Assessments in Upper Ganga

• In 2024, the Supreme Court directed a committee headed by Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan to reconsider the recommendations of the EB-II, stating that if the Centre rejected them, it must provide clear reasons.
• After consulting the Uttarakhand government, central ministries, and civil society, the committee recommended only five hydropower projects:
  • Bowala Nandprayag
  • Devsari
  • Bhyundar Ganga
  • Jhalakoti
  • Urgam-II
• Key Concerns Considered
  • Disaster Vulnerability - The committee flagged the threat from glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), citing the 2023 Sikkim disaster as evidence of severe downstream risks.
  • Ecological Impact - Projects with significant ecological consequences were excluded from consideration.
• Centre’s Final Position
  • In January 2026, the Supreme Court gave the Centre three months for a final decision.
  • The government ultimately argued against new hydropower projects, describing the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi basins as unique (‘sui generis’) due to their ecological, geological, and cultural significance.
• Evidence of Fragility
  • The Centre cited recent disasters such as:
    • 2021 Rishi Ganga floods
    • Joshimath flash floods
    • Land subsidence in Joshimath
  • It also highlighted the region’s rich ecological sensitivity, including:
    • Nanda Devi National Park
    • Valley of Flowers National Park
    • Gangotri National Park
    • Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary
    • Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone

Conclusion

The Centre’s evolving stance on hydropower projects in the upper Ganga reflects a broader shift from development-first thinking to ecological caution in fragile Himalayan regions.

The long policy journey underscores the challenge of balancing energy needs, economic interests, and environmental sustainability.

As climate risks intensify and disasters become more frequent, the upper Ganga may emerge as a defining test case for environmentally responsible infrastructure planning in India.