Dams must release min amount of water: NGT
POWER & RENEWABLE ENERGY

Dams must release min amount of water: NGT

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

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

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

TBO Tek Q2 Profit Climbs 12%, Revenue Surges 26% YoY

TBO Tek Limited one of the world’s largest travel distribution platforms, reported a solid performance for Q2 FY26 with a 26 per cent year-on-year increase in revenue to Rs 5.68 billion, reflecting broad-based growth and improving profitability.The company recorded a Gross Transaction Value (GTV) of Rs 8,901 crore, up 12 per cent YoY, driven by strong performance across Europe, MEA, and APAC regions. Adjusted EBITDA before acquisition-related costs stood at Rs 1.04 billion, up 16 per cent YoY, translating into an 18.32 per cent margin compared to 16.56 per cent in Q1 FY26. Profit after tax r..

Next Story
Infrastructure Energy

Northern Graphite, Rain Carbon Secure R&D Grant for Greener Battery Materials

Northern Graphite Corporation and Rain Carbon Canada Inc, a subsidiary of Rain Carbon Inc, have jointly received up to C$860,000 (€530,000) in funding under the Canada–Germany Collaborative Industrial Research and Development Programme to develop sustainable battery anode materials.The two-year, C$2.2 million project aims to transform natural graphite processing by-products into high-performance, battery-grade anode material (BAM). Supported by the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Programme (NRC IRAP) and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs a..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Antony Waste Q2 Revenue Jumps 16%; Subsidiary Wins Rs 3,200 Cr WtE Projects

Antony Waste Handling Cell Limited (AWHCL), a leading player in India’s municipal solid waste management sector, announced a 16 per cent year-on-year increase in total operating revenue to Rs 2.33 billion for Q2 FY26. The growth was driven by higher waste volumes, escalated contracts, and strong operational execution.EBITDA rose 18 per cent to Rs 570 million, with margins steady at 21.6 per cent, while profit after tax stood at Rs 173 million, up 13 per cent YoY. Revenue from Municipal Solid Waste Collection and Transportation (MSW C&T) reached Rs 1.605 billion, and MSW Processing re..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement