River

Agra idol immersion: Bodies of all 12 who drowned in river recovered

Bodies of all 12 people who drowned during idol immersion in the Utangan river here on October 2 were recovered on Tuesday, bringing to a close a days-long rescue operation, according to officials. In the incident that occurred on the occasion of Dussehra in the Khairagarh area, 13 people were swept away in the river during the idol immersion. One youth, identified as Vishnu, was rescued immediately, while the remaining 12 were missing. Agra Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar confirmed the completion of the operation. "All 12 bodies have been recovered from the Utangan river. The operation went on for nearly 124 hours, with teams from National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, Army, Provincial Armed Constabulary flood company, local divers and police working round the clock." The officials said the operation was particularly challenging as the bodies were trapped in deep pits in the middle of the river. The water flow was temporarily diverted to aid the divers a

Droughts across India's rivers occurring in sync amid climate change: Study

Climate change could be driving a co-occurrence of droughts across multiple river basins in India, causing severe water shortage and affecting food and water security, a study from the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar has found. Researchers Vimal Mishra and Dipesh Singh Chuphal said droughts and a widespread drying of rivers are becoming more common, together driving an increase in sync between droughts across several rivers. The findings, published in the journal American Geophysical Union (AGU) Advances, have "profound implications associated with water scarcity" for the country, the team said. The authors modelled water flow at 45 gauge stations on major rivers across India, including Ganga and Brahmaputra, from 1200 to 2012. Historical data and observations on water flow were used for the analysis. "Drought synchronicity has increased across the Indian rivers in the present period (1850-2012) than in the (pre-industrial era) (1200-1849)," the authors wrote. They adde

India alerts Pakistan of possible flood in Tawi River amid suspended IWT

India has alerted Pakistan about a potential flood in the Tawi River, a media report said on Monday, even as the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) remains in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack. Citing official sources, The News reported that India has contacted Pakistan to share information about possible flooding. There has been no official confirmation regarding the development by either India or Pakistan. Usually, such inputs are shared through the Indus Water Commissioner. Citing sources, the paper claimed that India has alerted Pakistan about a possible major flood in the Tawi River in Jammu. The Indian High Commission in Islamabad conveyed the alert on Sunday, it added. It is the first major contact of its kind since the Pakistan-India conflict in May, the paper said, citing sources. Pakistani authorities have issued warnings based on the information provided by India, it added. A day after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, India took a series of punitive measures

Rivers as kin, not property: A powerful case for ecological empathy

There is hope that we can conserve what remains and revive what has been lost of our rivers - but it begins with acknowledging that a river is a living, breathing entity

10 dead, 34 missing as cloudburst, flash floods hit Himachal's Mandi

Relief operations are in full swing, with emergency shelters established and essential supplies such as tents, blankets, and food being distributed

2 dead after bridge on River Indrayani collapses in Pune; rescue ops on

Three persons were rescued so far following the incident which occurred near Kundamala area in Maval tehsil, the police said

Punjab Assembly passes resolution against sharing water with Haryana

Amid a stand-off between Punjab and Haryana over water-sharing, the Bhagwant Mann government on Monday moved a resolution in the state assembly here vowing not to spare even a single drop of water from its share for the neighbouring state. Punjab's Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal moved the resolution during the special session of the state assembly, and it was taken up for discussion in the House. Goyal, while reading out the resolution, said the BJP has been trying to take away the rights of Punjab through its governments in Haryana and at the Centre, and the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). "By calling a meeting of the BBMB in an unconstitutional and illegal manner, an attempt is being made to forcefully provide Punjab's rightful water to Haryana. Haryana has used all its share of water till March 31. Now BJP wants to give the water of Punjab to Haryana," according to the resolution. The resolution said that during the last three years, the Mann government has .

Punjab has no water to spare for any state, Mann tells Ravi-Beas tribunal

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said the state does not have a single drop of water to share with any other state. Mann stated this before the Ravi Beas Water Tribunal set up for adjudicating river water disputes between Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. At a meeting with the tribunal led by its chairman Justice Vineet Saran, members Justice P Naveen Rao and Justice Suman Shyam, and registrar Rita Chopra, the chief minister reiterated that the state has no spare water to share with any other state and there is no question of sharing even a single drop of water with anyone. Punjab has no surplus water to share with any other state and reassessment of availability of water is required as per international norms, Mann said, according to an official statement. He also urged the tribunal members, who are in Punjab for a site visit of the Ravi water system, to deliver justice to the people of the state. Mann pointed out that Punjab's 76.5 per cent blocks (117 out of 153) a

Projects worth Rs 50,000 crore mooted for robust inland waterways

The discussions around projects and potential interventions in the sector took place at the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC)

River targets retail expansion in India with 25 new stores by March 2025

Electric scooter manufacturer River has announced plans to expand its retail footprint by opening 25 stores across the country by March this year. The Bengaluru-headquartered company inaugurated its first store in Coimbatore, the second such facility in Tamil Nadu after the first outlet in Chennai, which was established in 2024. River is backed by marquee investors including Japan-headquartered Yamaha Motor, Mitsui and Company Ltd., Dubai-headquartered Al Futtaim Group among others. As part of its expansion, the company plans to open stores in Vellore, Erode, Tiruppur across the State. It would also set up facilities in Mysuru, Belgaum, Tirupati, Ahmedabad, Pune, Nagpur, and Delhi in the coming months. "After the success of our flagship store in Chennai, we are excited to open (stores) across Tamil Nadu. Many of our employees who have been with us from the start are from this region. And it is a special market for us," company Co-Founder and CEO Aravind Mani said. River currently

72% of urban wastewater flows into rivers, lakes, land untreated: Report

A meagre 28 per cent of the urban wastewater and sewage generated in India undergoes treatment while the rest flows directly into rivers, lakes and land, according to a report by the think tank Centre for Science and Environment. India's urban water crisis could ease if all the wastewater is treated and reused, the report released here on Monday said. Rajiv Kumar Mital, Director General of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), said, "Using and disposing of treated water without harnessing its potential means we are losing out on utilising an important resource. The challenge is to scale up and ensure that the work we do in this sector is impactful." Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Director General Sunita Narain said India faces significant water scarcity challenges due to rapid urbanisation, industrial growth, population expansion and, most importantly, climate change. "Wastewater reuse can be a key part of the strategy to address these concerns and promote water ..

SC seeks govt's reply on plea against illegal constructions on riverbeds

The plea has stated that increasing illegal and unauthorised constructions and encroachments on the floodplains and catchment areas

Restoring river ecosystems vital to ensuring economic stability in India

River basin conservation also strongly influences the attainment of broader goals related to environmental conservation, climate change mitigation, and sustainable development

Alert issued in Jharkhand's Singhbhum after water level rise of two rivers

The East Singhbhum district administration in Jharkhand on Sunday issued an alert for people residing in the low-lying areas in view of swelling rivers following heavy rainfall, officials said. The water level in Kharkhai and Swarnarekha rivers has been rising for the last couple of days due to incessant rain in the state, they said. The water level in Swarnarekha was recorded at 116.58 metres at 9 am on Sunday against the danger mark of 121.50 metres, whereas it was 126.83 metres against the red mark of 129 metres in Kharkhai, an official release said. Around 3,500 cusec water was released into Swarnarekha from the Chandil Dam in adjoining Seraikela-Kharswan district, it said. People residing in the catchment areas have been asked to not venture out near the rivers, and duly follow the directives issued by the administration. Several road diversions were washed away, trees uprooted, houses damaged and a bridge collapsed due to incessant rain for the past two days in Jharkhand, an

Snow cover in Himachal river basins declined by 12.72% in 2023-24

The seasonal snow cover in Chenab, Beas, Ravi and Sutlej river basins in Himachal Pradesh decreased by 12.72 per cent in 2023-24 compared to 14.25 per cent in 2022-23, a statement issued here on Friday said. During the early winter months of 2023-24 (October to November), the Chenab, Beas and Sutlej basins showed negative trends in snow cover, whereas the Ravi basin showed a marginal increase, reflecting a positive trend, the statement quoting a study said. However, results for the peak winter months indicated significant declines in all the basins -- 67 per cent in Sutlej, 44 per cent in Ravi, 43 per cent in Beas and 42 per cent in Chenab in January 2024, according to the study conducted by the State Centre on Climate Change, under the aegis of the HP Council for Science, Technology, and Environment (HIMCOSTE). In February, a positive trend was observed in all basins, with an increase in snow cover, continuing into March 2024. Based on the analysis, it was observed that the declin

Punjab CM Mann reviews flood protection work along Ghaggar river in Sangrur

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday visited flood-prone areas along the Ghaggar river to take stock of the preparations for dealing with floods at the ground level ahead of the monsoon. The chief minister, accompanied by top government officials, visited the areas along with the river to check the arrangements being made to avert the floods, a release said. It was a deviation from the earlier times when the head of the state visited the areas once they were flooded, he said in the release. Earlier, leaders used these opportunities shamelessly for photo ops, hardly giving any relief to the people, Mann said. In sharp contrast to that practice, Mann said he visited the areas to assess the ongoing work to avert the floods. This will ensure that the flood-protection work is done effectively and there is no loss of life and property, he added. Interacting with the people, Mann said in order to avert floods in the state, the Punjab government has taken an initiative to desig

Newly constructed bridge collapses in Bihar's Araria, no casualties

A portion of a newly constructed bridge over the Bakra river collapsed in Pararia village of Bihar's Araria district on Tuesday, a police officer said. No casualty was reported, he said. The bridge, constructed by the state government, was not opened to the public as approach roads to the bridge were yet to be constructed. The bridge connects Kursa Kanta and Sikty areas of Araria district. Talking to PTI, Amit Ranjan, Superintendent of Police (SP), Araria, said, A portion of a newly constructed bridge over Bakra river has collapsed. Officials have reached there to examine the matter." The cause of the incident is not yet known, he added. In March, an under-construction bridge over the Kosi river collapsed in Supaul district, leaving one person dead and 10 others injured.

Taiwan probes how Chinese fishing boat entered strategic river mouth

Taiwanese authorities are investigating how an alleged former Chinese naval officer sailed a small boat into a strategic river mouth that leads to the capital of the self-governing island republic. The small boat was detected off the coast but apparently was not interdicted until it began interfering with ferry traffic across the Tamsui River, which flows from the mountains of inner Taiwan into the 160-kilometer (100-mile) -wide Taiwan Strait that separates Taiwan and China, which split during a civil war in 1949. The boat's pilot was identified as a 60-year-old former officer in China's People's Liberation Army Navy surnamed Ruan, the official Central News Agency said, raising questions as to whether the voyage was an attempt to test Taiwan's detection and defense capabilities amid rising Chinese threats to conquer the island it claims as its own territory. The Taiwan Strait is a key transit point for global commerce but is also known for its winds and tides, raising speculation ov

'Bodies of all students who drowned in Russian river being flown to India'

Russian authorities have recovered bodies of all the four Indian students who drowned in the Volkhov river, a Maharashtra Government official said on Saturday. While two bodies were found within the first two days of the June 4 incident, Russian officials said two more were recovered this morning, Jalgaon district collector Ayush Prasad said. The bodies are being flown to Mumbai and will be later taken to the students' native places in Jalgaon district, the official said. While Harshal Anantrao Desale, Jishan Ashpak Pinjari, Jia Firoj Pinjari and Malik Gulamgous Mohammad Yakub drowned, another student Nisha Bhupesh Sonawane survived. All were aged between 18 and 20. They were studying at Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University. The students were on a walk along the Volkhov river, when they entered the waters, a university official had said. Jishan Pinjari was on a video call with his parents when he and three others drowned, a family member said. When they entered the Volkhov

East flowing rivers between Mahanadi, Pennar have no water at present

Rivers between Mahanadi and Pennar basins that flow through Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha have no water at present, according to the Central Water Commission data. Rushikulya, Bahuda, Vamsadhara, Nagavati, Sarada, Varaha, Tandava, Eluru, Gundlakamma, Tammileru, Musi, Paleru and Manneru are the rivers left with no water, with experts blaming reduced monsoon, changing rainfall patterns, catchment degradation and groundwater depletion for it. Nitin Bassi from the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) said their analysis of the Mahanadi river basin has suggested adoption of micro irrigation systems and altering cropping patterns could reduce the water deficit from 24 per cent (in a business-as-usual scenario) to about 18 per cent of the water supply requirement. The Central Water Commission (CWC) has detailed the state of water storage in reservoirs, noting that live storage capacity has dwindled to just 35 per cent of the total capacity. The reservoirs in Andhra Prade