Dams must release min amount of water: NGT

15 Jan 2021 CW Staff

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has urged state pollution control boards to ensure the release of minimum water downstream by hydroelectric projects (HEPs), stating that business or commercial interests cannot override the necessity of maintaining riverine ecology.

Irrespective of commissioning date, all HEPs are under an obligation to release minimum water downstream, said a green panel led by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel.

The bench said that this is a mandate under Sustainable Development, and a part of the "right to life". The tribunal directed compliance by all HEPs including in the states of Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal (North Region), Assam and Jammu & Kashmir.

The tribunal discarded the submission of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation seeking exemption from releasing water to maintain 15% e-flow (the quantity and timing of water essential for the river to perform its ecological functions) during the lean period.

The mandate of the law cannot be ignored on technical and/or commercial limitations, said NGT. It also added that no business or commercial interest could override the requirement of maintaining riverine ecology.

The panel noted that the Ministry of Jal Shakti has not filed any report even though a period of nine months has passed since its direction.

The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by a resident of Himachal Pradesh, seeking enforcement of the requirement of releasing minimum water downstream by the state's HEPs.

Image Source

Technology

29 Jul 2026

AI-Enabled Workflows Lift Profitability and Productivity

Organisations modernising frontline workflows with artificial intelligence, automation and real-time data are reporting stronger financial performance, higher productivity and improved employee engagement, according to a global study by Zebra Technologies and Oxford Economics.The research covered 1,000 senior leaders across retail, manufacturing, transportation and logistics in the US, Mexico, the UK, Germany, India, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.In transportation and logistics, 54 per cent of companies that improved picking and packing operations reported faster operational performance, wh..

India Leads Global AI Readiness but Implementation Lags

Indian companies lead global averages across all eight artificial intelligence readiness indicators tracked by JLL, but only 19 per cent have started making changes to their workplaces, according to the JLL 2026 Future of Work Survey.The study found that 77 per cent of Indian business leaders expect AI to change their office requirements, creating a 58-percentage-point gap between awareness and implementation. The survey covered more than 2,200 CEOs, CFOs and real estate leaders across 21 countries during the first quarter of 2026.Despite concerns over automation, 58 per cent of Indian leaders..

Three WOLFF Cranes Build Riyadh Cable-Stayed Bridges

Three WOLFF 180 B luffing jib cranes are supporting the construction of two cable-stayed bridges alongside the existing Wadi Laban Bridge in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The project is being developed for the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and executed by the ICRC joint venture comprising IC Ictas and Al Rashid Trading & Contracting Company.The cranes are handling lifting operations including formwork, reinforcement, concrete placement, work platforms, surveying equipment and other construction materials. Each crane is fitted with a 40 m jib, reaches a hook height of 157 m and offers a maximum ..