South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People

19/08/2026

-Nagpur’s water network – Nag River, Pili and Pora flowing into it, Ambazari and Futala lakes – was its natural cooling infrastructure. Construction and pollutants have shrunk it from 5.76 percent to barely 1.08 percent of the city’s area in 25-26 years. (Aniket Sawargaonkar)

Nagpur’s water network – Nag River, Pili and Pora flowing into it, Ambazari and Futala lakes – was its natural cooling infrastructure. Construction and pollutants have shrunk it from 5.76 percent to barely 1.08 percent of the city’s area in 25-26 years. Writer’s research during a severe he...

19/08/2026

River Belan at Kairi site in Rewa district, Madhya Pradesh has crossed its old HFL 95.85 meter dated 01.08.2021 at 01:00 hour on 19.08.2026 and has set new HFL as 96.37 meter at 07:00 hour on 19.08.2026. The river is in still extreme flood situation at the site.

19/08/2026

River Belan at Lalganj site in Mirzapur district has crossed its HFL 137.55 meter dated 17.07.2025 at 14:00 hour on 18.08.2026 and set a new HFL 139.15 meter at 20:00 hour on 18.08.2026. CWC has wrongly updated the new HFL as 139.1 meter.

17/08/2026

Among many analyses of the recent Assam Floods, two contrasting ones stand out to illustrate the limitation of supremely confident perspective that engineering alone will solve the problem. This one does not look at cultural or historical aspects of floods in Assam, nor the uniqueness of unprecedented upper Assam floods the reasons behind it.

Both analyses, however, fail to mention the need to monitor the health of river catchments and the consequences of deteriorating health of the river catchments. Ultimately, even in Upper Assam floods this year, the major contributing factor was the deterioration of health of the catchment due to indiscriminate mining in upstream catchments in Assam and Nagaland.

The Majuli story exemplifies processes occurring in the Brahmaputra Valley as a whole. There is no denying of the ecological volatility of the valley, shaped by, among others, a highly potent monso…

17/08/2026

-The Supreme Court held that the duties performed by frontline Forest Officers and Forest Guards within the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary extend far beyond forest conservation and constitute highly dangerous tasks intrinsically connected with the maintenance of public order. The Court directed the States of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh to immediately issue notifications under Section 218(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, recognizing that the duties of frontline forest staff safeguarding the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary are intrinsically connected with maintaining public order. The Court warned that failure on the part of district administrations to enforce its comprehensive enforcement and monitoring directives would invite strict departmental action and legal proceedings for wilful non-compliance.

The Court directed the states of MP, Rajasthana nd Uttar Pradesh to protect the frontline forest staff under Section 218(3) of the BNSS against sand mining cartels in the National Chambal Sanctuary.

17/08/2026

-The researchers emphasize that proactive interventions such as watershed management, spring rejuvenation, soil and water conservation, groundwater recharge enhancement, and nature-based solutions can play a crucial role in strengthening the basin's resilience to future climate impacts.

A recent study by researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) and G. B

17/08/2026

-Aquatic heat wave conditions caused by hot water discharge from NTECL Vallur’s power plant may have been responsible for the Independence Day Fish Kill in Ennore Creek, fishers and activists say. Fisher accounts of the sequence of observations and tidal movement point to the Kuruvimedu and Railway Bridge Canals as the likely source of the cause of the fish kill. Fishers and Save Ennore Creek campaign have demanded a thorough investigation to fix responsibility for the Independence Day Fish Kill. The Railway Bridge Canal receives discharge of hot water (spent coolant) from NTECL’s 3 x 500 MW Vallur thermal power plant, and has long been a target of complaints by local fishers. Their observation is strengthened by the findings of a water temperature study conducted on 9 August by Kattukuppam fishers S. Kumaresan and Raja Masilamani and Save Ennore Creek campaign volunteers. The study revealed aquatic heat wave-like conditions at four sampling locations 585 to 1045 metres from the plant’s discharge point. The highest recorded temperatures were 40.8°C and 40.6°C at locations in the Railway Bridge Canal. https://storyofennore.wordpress.com/2026/08/16/press-release-independence-day-fish-kill-caused-by-hot-water-chemical-discharge-from-power-plant-aquatic-heat-wave-conditions-1000-m-from-ntecl-vallurs-illegal-hot-water-discharge-point-st/

17/08/2026

From Crisis to Resilience: Rethinking Urban Flooding and Groundwater Recharge in Bengaluru City, India:

-Bengaluru, a primary metropolitan centre in India, is currently grappling with the dual crises of urban flooding and severe groundwater depletion. These challenges are driven by rapid urbanization, which has seen built-up areas increase from 42% to 86% over two decades, resulting in a dramatic loss of vegetation and wetlands. This study addresses a critical research gap by integrating 27 years of hydrological data (1997–2023) with a multi-perspective analysis of the city's fragmented governance.

-The findings indicate that although rainfall remains a vital resource, its effectiveness is neutralized by institutional fragmentation and weak enforcement of buffer zone regulations. We propose a phased implementation roadmap for water-sensitive urban design (WSUD), highlighting nature-based solutions like recharge wells and lake rejuvenation as essential for climate resilience and sustainable water management. This research provides a scalable model for transforming rapidly growing cities in the Global South into water-sensitive urban environments. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wwp2.70098

17/08/2026

-This study investigates the impacts of climate change on hydrometeorological components and extreme events in the Kosi River Basin, a climate-sensitive region of the Central Himalayas. The findings underscore the need for integrated water resource management strategies to address emerging hydro-climatic risks in Himalayan headwater basins.

This study investigates the impacts of climate change on hydrometeorological components and extreme events in the Kosi River Basin, a climate-sensitive region of the Central Himalayas, under SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios. The SWAT hydrological model was applied using bias-corrected outputs from fi...

17/08/2026

-This study investigates the June 29–July 1, 2025 cloudburst-induced flash flood in Thunag village, Himachal Pradesh, using an integrated remote sensing and hydrodynamic modelling framework.