Supreme Court ने Uttarakhand के Upper Ganga Basin में नए जलविद्युत परियोजनाओं को सीमित करने वाला affidavit दायर किया

<p>The <span class="key-term" data-definition="Supreme Court — the apex judicial body in India with the power to interpret the Constitution and resolve disputes (GS2: Polity)">Supreme Court</span> has received an affidavit from the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Union of India — the central government of the Republic of India, representing the federal authority in constitutional matters (GS2: Polity)">Union of India</span> that restricts any new <span class="key-term" data-definition="Hydro‑Electric Project (HEP) — a power generation facility that converts water flow into electricity; relevant to GS3: Energy and Environment">Hydro‑Electric Project</span> (HEP) in the upper reaches of the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Alaknanda and Bhagirathi river basin — the upper reaches of the Ganga River in Uttarakhand, characterized by fragile ecology and high disaster risk (GS3: Environment)">Alaknanda and Bhagirathi river basin</span>. The move follows the 2013 Uttarakhand flood disaster that highlighted the region’s ecological fragility.</p> <h3>Key Developments</h3> <ul> <li>Only seven HEPs — four commissioned and three under construction — are allowed to continue.</li> <li>The affidavit is backed by three ministries: <span class="key-term" data-definition="Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) — the central ministry responsible for environmental policy, forest conservation, and climate action (GS2: Polity)">Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change</span>, <span class="key-term" data-definition="Ministry of Power — the central ministry that formulates policies for electricity generation, transmission and distribution (GS2: Polity)">Ministry of Power</span>, and <span class="key-term" data-definition="Ministry of Jal Shakti — the central ministry overseeing water resources, river management and flood control (GS2: Polity)">Ministry of Jal Shakti</span>.</li> <li>The Court gave the Union three months, in January 2026, to decide on the recommendations of a Court‑constituted Committee.</li> </ul> <h3>Important Facts</h3> <p>The seven projects listed are:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Tehri PSP (Tehri Stage‑II)</strong> – commissioned.</li> <li><strong>Tapovan Vishnugad (NTPC)</strong> – 75.28% complete.</li> <li><strong>Vishnugad Pipalkoti (THDCIL)</strong> – 80% complete.</li> <li><strong>Singoli Bhatwari (L&amp;T)</strong> – commissioned in November 2020.</li> <li><strong>Phata Byung (Lanco)</strong> – 74% complete.</li> <li><strong>Madhmaheshwar (UJVNL)</strong> – commissioned in September 2024.</li> <li><strong>Kailganga‑II (Chamoli Hydro)</strong> – commissioned in May 2022.</li> </ul> <p>The affidavit criticises the earlier expert panel <span class="key-term" data-definition="EB‑II (Expert Body‑II) — a technical committee that evaluated hydropower projects based on ecological criteria (GS3: Environment)">EB‑II</span> for omitting disaster‑related parameters such as landslides, flash floods, <span class="key-ter