Residents of Kochi have protested against a proposal to privatise water distribution, voicing concerns that it could lead to increased costs and reduced access to this essential resource. The protests, organised by various local groups, emphasize the need for public control over water supply and management. Demonstrators argue that privatisation would undermine the rights of citizens and could negatively impact service quality. Community leaders are calling for government accountability and a commitment to maintaining public ownership of water resources.“The move to privatize Drinking Water distribution in the city should be stopped. It is against the people. The move to hand over the Drinking Water distribution system and assets of KWA to a foreign private firm is deplorable. That’s why we staged the protest,” a protestor told the Times of India.

The Manibhadra Dam Project over river Mahanadi, located in Barmul village in Boudh district of Odisha is a part of Mahanadi-Godavari river linking project would irrigate 4.43 lakh hectare (ha) of land, generate 445 MW of electricity and control flooding. The project has been criticized since the late 1960's as many believe it will submerge 63,000 hectares of land and forests and directly affect around 80,000 people. In 2008, the SatakosiaPadmatola Mukti Manch sent a memorandum to the Governor and Chief Minister of Orissa along with the Prime Minister to stop the construction of the dam.Under the banner of Manibhadra Pratirodh Sangram Samiti. People came together and emphasized the potential devastating effects of the construction, pointing out that communities who were displaced by similar projects like the Hirakud Dam, continue to exist without proper rehabilitation.

On November 11, 2021, the Srinagar district administration demolished 25 houses built around the Khushal Sar lake and retrieved 1.2 hectares of land from ‘illegal occupants’ for rejuvenation and restoration of the lake. Srinagar Deputy Commissioner told LCW that the administration would continue such drives and retrieve all the occupied land in the city from 'encroachers'. “We have to protect and save the water body in the larger public interest,” he said.The residents have demanded rehabilitation, but the government has refused claiming they had illegally occupied the land. “We have been living here for years. Why did the district magistrate not object when we were building our houses? The government only remembers lakes and other places for conservation after we have spent lakhs on construction,” he said, adding that more than 25 families have been left without a home and are putting up at their relatives’ places.Umar Khan, a resident, told LCW that they went from pillar to post to object to the demolition but in vain. “We even held sit-ins at Press Colony, Srinagar, hoping that the higher-ups would listen to our grievances, but no such luck.” According to the affected families, their livelihood depends on the lake and the land surrounding it. “We grow vegetables here, including nadru (lotus stem), which would fetch us good money. Where will we grow our food if we are evicted from the area? he said.

Residents of Amdai, a settlement on the outskirts of Sanguem town in South Goa, have been opposing a large brewery and distillery factory proposed in their area since 2016. The factory is promoted by Vani Agro Farms, a New Delhi-based company that has permission to produce up to five crore litres of beer every year, besides other spirits. The project is located near Uguem River, which is a lifeline for Amdai as well as for the settlements of Uguem village downstream of the proposed factory. The residents feel that the factory's massive water requirement of five lakh litres per day will dry up the river and their water sources. Although the company has clarified that it would use water from the nearby Salauli Dam, people are not convinced. They claim to have received some documents using the Right To Information Act, which shows that the brewery has permissions from the government to draw water from the river. The people are also agitated that the factory is coming up on a coconut orchard and entails cutting nearly 500 coconut trees. The residents allege that Goa's infamous 2015 amendment to the Goa, Daman and Diu Preservation of Trees Act, 1984, which removed coconut from the list of protected trees, was done specifically to favour this brewery. In response to various news reports, Vani Agro has denied any connection with the coconut amendment but has admitted that because of it, it does not require any permissions for cutting the coconut trees. The residents are also angry that the government declared the factory land as an "Investment Promotion Area" under the Goa Investment Promotion Act, 2014, which takes away the panchayat's powers to veto the project. The residents say that being a "red category" industry, a brewery cannot come up on orchard land as per Goa's zoning laws.

In April 2022, 64 families of Lohari village were forcefully displaced from their lands for the construction of Lakhwar hydropower project in Dehradun district of Uttarakhand. A majority residents of this village is constituted by tribes people of the state's Jaunsar-Bawar area. The 120 MW project is being built on river Yamuna and is part of the larger 420 MW Lakhwar-Vyasi hydropower project. In May 2022, Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam evicted the families living in the Lohari village by giving a 48-hour notice. Their homes, cowsheds, farmlands were soon submerged in the water. Since then, the displaced families have been living in a government school building, protesting against the violation of their rights The local community alleges that the compensation provided by the government is inadequate and below the market rate. They also claim that the new permanent alternative sites that are being provided to displaced families are too small compared to their original land and insufficient for accommodating their families, cattle, farming activities and other purposes. State government officials on the other hand assert that they have distributed Rs 15 crore for residents' rehabilitation.

Thousands of students of VIT College in Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, protested against shortage of potable water in May 2024. The students protested late at night as the availability of water became a major challenge in the campus. Students expressed frustration over inadequate water facilities, highlighting the need for immediate improvements.The students raised slogans against the college administration and even vandalised a car of a staff member. The scarcity disrupted daily life, prompting college authorities to declare an early summer vacation to alleviate the crisis.

The KenBetwa Project is an ambitious irrigation project proposed in 1982 by the Centre to link the Ken and Betwa rivers flowing through Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The government claims the project would benefit 13 lakh families by meeting their irrigation, Drinking Water and electricity needs in the drought prone areas of the two states. The project will also submerge nearly 5,026 hectares of private and common land and will displace about 1,000 families inside and outside the reserve, according to a feasibility report by the National Water Development Authority (NWDA). While many environmentalists have demanded scrapping of the project, most affected villagers are demanding fair compensation to the families that will be displaced.In March 2020, the Centre started work on establishing an exclusive body to implement projects for linking rivers that are generally stalled due to lack of consensus among states.

In March 2022, a portion of the Western Ghats at Habbanahalli village in Karnataka’s Hassan district collapsed, damaging pipelines and a tunnel laid for the Yettinahole water project. Over 2,000 tonnes of loose soil buried about two kilometres of pipeline in the most difficult terrain of the Western Ghats. The landslip also damaged a tunnel constructed for the maintenance of the pipeline. The situation has created a humanitarian crisis, as many tribal families who live near the unstable area are in the fear of losing their houses, small patches of farms and, most importantly, their lives and livestock. Following the incident, as many as 43 Gram Panchayats passed resolutions opposing further construction linked to the project. Many other panchayats on the banks of the river Netravathi in Buntwal and Mangaluru taluks are now contemplating officially joining the struggle through passing anti project resolutions. The project was initially called the Netravathi river diversion project but was later renamed Yettinahole stormwater lift project, following the protests. Residents of two districts of Hassan and Dakshina Kannada, share a common bond with the river Netravathi, and opposed the project.

On 11 March 2022, farmers of Pissurlem, a village in the mining belt of North East Goa, protested to save their land and livelihoods, which have been affected due to declining water quality and quantity due to years of mining in the area. They have been raising these concerns with various government departments since 2013.Hanumant Chandrakant Parab, President of Pissurlem Shetkari Sanghatna, recently approached the Goa bench of Bombay High Court seeking relief for the villagers. In 2020, the villagers demanded improvement in water provisioning in the area by diverting water from abandoned mining pits to their agricultural fields, removal of silt from their fields and regular supply of potable water to their homes. On 28 March 2022, Parab filed a fresh PIL in the High Court seeking relief from the water shortage caused due to mining activities in the area. The petitioners sough expeditious grant of NOC to the PWD to set up a water treatment plant in the area. They also asked for directions to immediately supply adequate potable water to each household in Pissurlem village. The High Court disposed of the petition on 17 April 2023.

Tribal communities and activists have opposed the implementation of the Athirappilly Hydroelectric Project on Chellakudy river in Thrissur district. Many people’s organisations declared the project an ecological disaster, which would also result in the displacement of over thousand of villagers residing around the area. The project will displace 163 Kadar families at Vazhachal and 71 families in the Pokalappara settlements. In December 2015, tribal communities in the project area moved the High Court again, saying the project infringed upon their rights under the Forest Rights Act of 2006, and that the government could not proceed with the project disregarding their objections.In June 2020, the Kerala government issued a fresh order despite the opposition. The state government issued a "No objection Certificate for a period of seven years and a permit to proceed with the project".

Over five lakh people in Thiruvananthapuram were affected after Kerala Water Authority (KWA) cut the piped water supply in 33 municipal wards for five days, sparking widespread public outrage and political protests. The KWA suspended water supply to realign pipelines for a major infrastructure project, affecting schools, businesses, and essential services. Residents resorted to queueing for water at limited public taps, while bottled water quickly ran out in stores, intensifying frustrations.Political tensions escalated as the Kerala Students Union (KSU) staged a protest at the Corporation office, criticising the lack of foresight and the disruption’s impact on students. United Democratic Front (UDF) councillors joined the protests, calling for Mayor Arya Rajendran’s resignation and accusing the government of neglecting the needs of Thiruvananthapuram residents. Opposition leader V.D. Satheesan condemned the government's handling of the crisis as poorly planned and inadequate.While water supply restoration began on September 8, full normalization was expected to take longer due to the scope of the project.

In Darbhanga, Bihar, a pond covering 36 dismil has allegedly been filled in by local encroachers, leading to public outrage. Activists report that nearly 200 of the town's 350 ponds have been lost to encroachment over the past three decades. "Ponds have become victims of increasing human neglect and vested interest to gain something if they are dried up or filled,” a river activist in Darbhanga told the Mongabay. Now, there are only 84 ponds left according to the official figures of the urban local body. Meanwhile, historical ponds in Bihar are under threat from encroachment and pollution. The Jeevan Hariyali Mission aimed to protect water bodies but has led to the displacement of marginalised communities. In response, Narayan Choudhary initiated the Talab Bachao Abhiyan, which garnered community support to protect local ponds and wetlands. The movement has grown to address broader water crises exacerbated by governmental actions, including encroachments on the Kamla River, leading to its drying up. Despite protests and calls for action, local authorities have yet to respond effectively. Residents and activists claim that the encroachments violate National Green Tribunal orders, while the government has not enforced measures to protect these vital water bodies, which are crucial for the local ecosystem and community livelihoods.

“Water is provided only to the Brahmins and people fight with us when we approach the hand pump,” a Dalit woman from Uttar Pradesh’s Itwa village complained over the lack of water resources for the marginalised community in the village. The hand pump in the Dalit ‘basti’ of the village has been broken for two to three years. According to the villagers, the Pradhan refused to fix the hand pump and denied it as his responsibility. “There are two people always standing with a lathi ready to hit in case any of us approach their hand pump. Even when a woman or child from our basti goes to collect water, they do this.”Many Dalit communities face exclusion from village water sources, forced to rely on inadequate alternatives, such as hand pumps or distant wells. The situation is worsened by systemic neglect and poor governance, which leave these marginalised groups vulnerable to water scarcity. Activists and local leaders are calling for inclusive policies that ensure equitable access to water resources for all, regardless of caste.

In Chhattisgarh, villagers from Patharra have been fiercely protesting the construction of an ethanol plant. Their protest escalated dramatically in October 2024 when over 50 men shaved their heads as a symbol of their dissent. The villagers depend on paddy cultivation for their livelihood and fear that the water and air pollution would have a drastic effect on their agricultural practices. They have also complained about the odour that emanates from the plant. The villagers fear that the establishment of this plant, among others in the region, will harm their livelihoods by contaminating essential resources​. More than 11 ethanol plants have been planned for the district. Despite assurances from local officials regarding pollution control measures and the use of advanced technology aimed at minimising environmental impacts, community members remain sceptical. They demand transparency and accountability from authorities, especially regarding the management of waste discharged into water bodies, which they believe exacerbates local pollution issues.​

The Lower Indra Irrigation project is a major irrigation project constructed across river Indra, a tributary of the River Tel in the Mahanadi basin. The dam is located near village Dargoan in Khariar block of Nuapada district in Odisha. Locals allege that the Lower Indra Irrigation Project (LIIP) Authority has failed to suitably rehabilitate people displaced by the dam. The affected families, which are now around 9,000 (the number was 1,460 at the beginning) have been demanding rehabilitation. According to a report by the Orissa Post, while preparations were in full swing for the commission of the dam, issues pertaining to rehabilitation, damages incurred and compensation owed to project affected people were yet to be resolved as on 6 March 2021.

The AVCB Traditional Fishermen Association of South Goa has opposed the alleged dredging work in river Sal. The association comprises fishermen from Assolna, Velim, Chinchinim, Cavelossim and Betul villages lined along the southern part of the river. They have claimed that the dredging work is disturbing the fish breeding ground and threatening their livelihood.River Sal, originates in the hills of Verna in South Goa and opens into the Arabian Sea at Mobor beach, is one of the most polluted rivers in the state, as per a 2018 order by the National Green Tribunal.In 2016, the Captain of Ports Department, which is in-charge of all inland waterway activity in the state, had completed Phase I of river Sal desilting between Khareband and the Varca-Telaulim bridge. Based on the 2018 NGT order, the state government announced Phase II of desilting from the Varca-Telaulim bridge to the mouth of the river to reduce pollution.An official from the Captain of Ports department who spoke to LCW on the condition of anonymity said, “A total of 18 km were planned for Phase II, divided into three phases of 6 km each. The first phase of Phase II was completed in May 2021; while the second one was completed in April 2022. The third phase, from Ambelim to the mouth of the river, would be taken up soon. The state pollution control board has even granted clearance to the work based on the environment assessment reports prepared by the NIO.”

In May 2023, tribespeople of villages in scheduled five areas of Nandurbar district in Maharashtra are opposing plans to divert water away from their region. The gram panchayat of a non PESA village, Lonkheda, informed the Virpur gram panchayat (a PESA village) of their plans to construct a pipeline for taking the water from the Dara Dharan to Shahda industrial belt region.“In 1994 the villagers started massive agitations to initiate the construction of the Dara Dharan project. The protestors made elaborate drawings and plans on distribution of water for irrigation from the dam to 14 villages in the area.”, a resident of teh Dara village told.Following the protests, the dam was finally constructed in 1996. However, the canals to carry water to the villages for irrigation were not constructed. The villagers kept on writing to the administration to expedite the process of canal construction. The demand remains unfulfilled till date.

In September 2024, villagers in Hoskote protested against the tankers' excessive extraction of groundwater from borewell points to supply water to Bengaluru, where several apartment complexes reported water shortages.These villagers, who rely on groundwater for their own needs, argue that the extensive withdrawal of water for the city’s tankers is depleting local resources and harming the environment. The resulting tanker restrictions have left urban residents, especially in apartment complexes without a direct Cauvery water supply, to grapple with limited water access, often paying up to Rs 25,000 monthly for alternative sources.Over 3,000 borewells in Bengaluru have dried up, intensifying reliance on water tankers. The residents of Bengaluru said that water scarcity in the region has become a never ending issue and the government needs to step in to solve the problem. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has acknowledged the issue and outlined plans to tap into rivers, such as Yettinahole, and invest in efficient sewage treatment to increase water recycling. Still, infrastructure upgrades and regulatory reforms are needed to address water scarcity in the long term. The Karnataka government has also initiated measures to monitor and regulate tanker operations more effectively, seeking a balance between rural and urban water needs.

The Arunachal Pradesh government has planned a number of dams and hydroelectric projects across two rivers -- Tawang Chhu and the Naymjang Chhu -- in Tawang district. Monpas, an indigenous tribe, which constitutes 97% of Tawang's population, have been protesting against ecological damage and land acquisition, citing that more than 10,000 people will be affected due to the project.In May 2016, Jampa Stering of Humanity International said, "One-fourth of Monpa land is owned by the defence ministry and other government establishments. Where will the people go if our lands are taken away to build dams?" It is estimated that the majority of the land being acquired is community land used by farmers and pastoralists in the region.One of the main issues with the project is that it impacts the endangered Black-necked Crane, which the Monpa community worships as the embodiment of the sixth Dalai Lama. The dam is also likely to submerge the 13th century stupa, Gorzam Chorten, which has great cultural and historical significance for the Monpas. The NGT acknowledged the impact, but despite orders, construction work continues on the site.

In Nashik, villagers from nearly 10 tribal hamlets threatened to boycott the 2024 general election over the lack of Drinking Water. In 2019, villagers were assured water taps in every household as part of the Centre's Jal Jeevan Mission, aimed at providing tap water to all rural homes by 2024. However, five years later, this promise remains unfulfilled, leaving the residents frustrated and calling for a boycott of the upcoming elections in Nashik. Tribal community leader Bhagwan Madhe told the Indian Express that villagers in more than 50 villages across Igatpuri and Trimbakeshwar in Nashik district have called for boycotting the elections due to lack of water supply. “If the contractors did their work properly, then almost all the villages in this district would have got water supply by now. The point is, most of the contractors have done incomplete work or have done nothing at all, but on paper it shows actual work is ‘in-progress’. There are so many villages where tanks have been fitted one-two years back, but water isn’t there,” Madhe said.

Farmers in Haryana continue to demand the revival of the Dadupur-Nalvi canal project, which was scrapped in 2017. The project was conceived to recharge groundwater and provide canal irrigation to Ambala, Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar districts. But owing to the high enhancement costs ordered by courts, the project was scrapped. The state government has already offered to farmers to buy back their land acquired for the purpose.Despite government claims that the canal wasn’t economically viable, farmers argue it is crucial for agriculture and water conservation. Protests have persisted, with farmers seeking the canal's completion and opposing any land acquisition or diversion plans that would affect their water resources.

Residents of DLF Phase IV organised a protest outside the mini secretariat in Gurugram city on 19 July 2018, demanding the completion of a drainage network in Chakkarpur village where they reside.The residents have been facing a waterlogging problem since 2016. The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) had promised to build a stormwater drain, but the work is still pending due to a delay in land acquisition. Meanwhile, their living condition has deteriorated as the area gets waterlogged even after brief rainfall. The residents have demanded that the project be completed urgently. They have met the sub-divisional magistrate of the area and have submitted a memorandum. In the meantime, the matter remains subjudice.Another party to the conflict is the landowners. Three years ago, in 2015, the MCG had identified an area to build the stormwater drain. One of the plots of land in the area belonged to a private party, who took the matter to court after the MCG issued a notice. The court dismissed the notice by saying that the law under which land was being acquired did not apply in the case.The landowners of the plots have refused to accept the land price fixed by the Gurugram Municipal Development Authority as they believe it is too low compared to the market rate.

The Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (HNSS) project was conceived to provide irrigation facilities to 6.025 lakh acres of land across the four districts of Rayalaseema and to supply Drinking Water to 33 lakh people. The HNSS has been allocated 40 thousand million cubic (TMC) feet of water from the Krishna river but only if the reservoir levels are above 854 feet; hence, there is no assured allocation of water. In Kurnool district, water is still not flowing to the areas where the canals are partly dug. As of March 2019, officials said that water from the HNSS had filled 135 water tanks across Anantapur. However, activists point out that water is taken through the main canal and not the branch canal, which means that the irrigated area has not expanded. The branch canals are yet to be constructed, and the capacity planned for the canals is inadequate, according to experts.Meanwhile, farmers whose lands were acquired for the project have been demanding better compensation. The government had fixed Rs 2.70 lakh per acre and promised a 30% hike over the original price. However, the farmers sought a higher compensation of Rs 3 lakh per acre after the government acquired their land for digging distribution and field channels under the project. Lately, the government has invoked the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, to acquire land for the project. But even then it has met with stiff resistance from the people.

The Gosikhurd National Irrigation Project, on the Wainganga River in Maharashtra's eastern Vidarbha region, was approved in 1982. The project is still incomplete and there are alleged irregularities in construction of dams, rehabilitation of affected people, environmental clearances, and finances. About 93 villages will be affected, of which 35 will be completely submerged due to the project. These 93 villages from three districts consists of 16,000 project- affected families--Nagpur 8,312; Chyandrapur 1,542 and Bhandara 6,000. GosiKhurd Prakalpgrast Sangharsh Samiti has been organizing protest marches against the delay in the rehabilitation of the project-affected persons from time to time.The major displaced person are facing livelihood issues. Many fisherman communities got affected due to polluted water of the dam.The acquisition that began in 1994 continues till 2020. The villagers demanded that instead of a fixed amount, the government should compensate us for the loss of income as floods ravaged their crops after water from the dam was released.

Residents of Marwah Tehsil in Jammu's Kishtwar district have intensified protest and are up in arms against the government's proposed decision to construct Bursar-Pakkal dam in the Marwah area. The residents held a strong protest at Nawapachi to register their resentment over the government decision.The 800 MW Bursar hydroelectric power project, scheduled to be built by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), was originally approved in 2000 through an agreement signed between the then Jammu & Kashmir government and India’s Ministry of Power. It was planned on Marusudar, a tributary of the Chenab River.Upon completion, the project, however, will submerge seven villages, which have a population of 6,332, comprising 1,052 families. In April 2018, residents of the project-affected villages organized themselves under the banner of Pakal-Bursar Dam Committee. Thousands marched towards Marwah raising slogans against the construction of the dam and the power project. A hunger strike was also held by the Marwah Bachao Tehreek. They objected to the readjustment of forest park boundaries by the Department of Forest, Environment & Ecology, J&K, in 2015 for the project. In March 2020, a hunger strike was initiated again, to mark resistance against the project. However, due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the strike had to be cancelled along with all other protests. The movement, according to a video published in 2021, carries on.

A Dalit man was assaulted and beaten by seven people for Drinking Water from a hand pump near a temple. He filed a complaint with the police but he alleged that no action was taken by the police. According to the police complaint, the assailants used casteist slurs and physically assaulted Gautam, pressing his neck with their feet "until his tongue protruded". They also threatened to harm him and his family if he reported the incident to the police.Later, he filed a petition in a special court. The court ordered registration of the case under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

In Hyderabad’s Manikonda area, residents of an apartment complex protested demanding the water board increase the tanker supply to overcome the ongoing water crisis. The owners of the flat carried placards reading ‘no water, no vote’. The area is facing a severe water crisis as borewells have dried up. The people have to pay a heavy price to book private water tankers as it takes at least a week for state water tankers to provide the services. This has led to frustration among residents, who are demanding an increased and more reliable tanker service to address their pressing water needs. Despite repeated requests, they report that authorities have not improved the supply. Officials told the residents that the over bookings have led to a pendency in delivering water tankers. These huge bookings are beyond the capacity of the water board.

The Hirakud Dam Project is the oldest of its kind in India. This dam was built across the Mahanadi river. This is the first major multipurpose river valley project in post-independent India and also one of its longest. The government had promised all basic amenities to the displaced but these promises have only remained as promises. Since 2012, the displaced families have been seeking their rights over forest under both individual forest rights (IFR) and community forest rights (CFR) but their claims still remain unprocessed. Now, they are living in Patrapali village of Jharsuguda, district of Odisha. The conflict started when the administration ignored their claims on the pretext that the land claimed by the villagers under Forest Right Act is reserved for coal mining for Mahanadi Coal field Company. The affected people have submitted a grievance petition to the Secretary, MoTA in 2015. They have also moved the district collector and the RDC several times over the issue and submitted their grievance petitions. On 17th January 2020, the villagers of Patrapalli staged a Jungle Suraksha Satyagraha, to register their protest against tree felling in the area.

Environmentalists and local communities have opposed the Sillahalla Pumped Storage Hydro-Electric Project (SPSHEP) proposed in the Kundah Taluk of the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve by the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO). They say that the project will be an environmental and livelihood disaster as it would submerge acres of dense forests and prime agricultural lands, along with displacing over 10,000 people.According to the environment clearance report of the project, about 170 hectares of private, forest, and government land will be submerged once the reservoirs turn fully functional. The project is anticipated to become operational in the year 2025.

The Jamwa Ramgarh Dam has been home to various species of fish and aquatic reptiles as well as a water source for the people of Jaipur since 1931. After the reservoir completely dried up in 2011, the Rajasthan High Court took suo motu cognisance of the matter. It learnt that the dam's catchment area, spread over 700 sq. km., had as many as 405 anicuts and 800 encroachments, ranging from farmhouses to educational institutes, including the National Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) on the DelhiJaipur highwayWhile the court ordered the demolition of encroachments, a few influential institutions have been challenging its decisions. The Rajasthan High Court issued another order on January 31, 2019, asking the state to conduct a survey on the utility of check dams in the state.In July 2019, Rajasthan Water Resources Minister B D Kalla said 636 encroachments have been removed, and a report in compliance to the high court order to remove them from the catchment area of the Ramgarh Dam has been submitted.

Since 2009, the residents of the fourteen villages in the tribal district of LahaulSpiti valley, Himachal Pradesh, have been opposing the proposed Jispa Dam and Hydropower Project. The proposed 300 MW dam, located on the Bhanga river, would hold 0.8 millionacre feet of water to feed 11 major power projects downstream in the Chenab river basin. As per the prefeasibility report, the dam would result in the submergence of at least four villages and displace 74 families. However, according to a preliminary report by Him Dhara Collective, the project would result in complete or partial submergence of 12 villages, Darcha 1 and 2, Sumdu, Limkyum, Rarik, Gandaj, Balijim, Yoche, Chikka, Dogma, Nama, Ranglyo and Makseen. Also, it would displace more than 250 families and submerge 40 shops.Consequently, it will harm the availability of drinking and irrigation water in at least ten villages. The locals have collected under the banner of Jispa Bandh Jan Sangharsh Samiti. They stand opposed to the project due to the threat of displacement and severe impact on livelihood practices, agricultural lands, and water sources. The concerns also stem from the ecological fragility of the region.

Residents living around Hosakerehalli Lake in RR Nagar in Bengaluru have been protesting against a mud road construction project through the lake. The protest was against the encroachment of the lake by the authorities who were planning to construct a road to provide connectivity to a high rise building owned by an industrlaist-cum-politician across the lake. The residents feared that the BBMP would start dumping construction waste and debris in the lake in the guise of desilting the lake. The contractors ignored the protests and kept dumping construction waste at odd hours.Later, the Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister assured the residents that the lake will be restored and ordered the BBMP chief commissioner to suspend the engineers who were involved in the work. The work of restoration is still in limbo.

In 2018, NHPC Limited, completed the Rs 5,750 crore Kishanganga Hydro Electric Project on river Kishanganga in Gurez, a remote picturesque area in Bandipora district in Kashmir close to Line of Control between India and Pakistan. The dam affects 610 families in Gurez and 171 families in Kralpora, It has faced local opposition on account of its effects on farm land and housing structures. Locals expressed resentment over meagre compensation paid for their lands, unfulfilled promises of jobs and differential compensation paid to families in Gurez and Kralpora.In 2015, people from Kralpora filed a petition before the J&K High Court demanding that the policy of resettlement and rehabilitation for the project affected families should be redrafted in accordance with the National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy, 2007.

In 2016, the Water Resources Department of the Madhya Pradesh government proposed to construct an Irrigation dam in Tetka village in Jaysinghnagar tehsil of Shahdol district in Madhya Pradesh. The project will require an investment of 13.85 crores and will supposedly benefit 320 farmers on at least 500 ha of land.However, 50 farmers will also lose 75 ha of fertile land. With this they will be left with no land. The farmers demanded that either the place of construction of the dam should be changed or, government or common land should be acquired instead of private land.In 2018, according to the Madhya Pradesh state Government report, the work was stopped due to water shortage in the river. Land Conflict Watch spoke to Santosh Agarwal, Madhya Pradesh state president of the Bhartiya Kisan Union on 18 July, 2020. He said that the struggle has been ongoing against the Tetka Dam. The Dam hasn't been built. The people haven't been given any compensation for their land acquired, yet.

In Rajasthan, an eight-year-old Dalit boy was beaten after he allegedly touched a water bucket near a handpump in a village. After the boy moved the bucket aside to drink water from the handpump, he was beaten up brutally by a man belonging to an upper caste. The incident has drawn widespread condemnation, highlighting persistent caste-based discrimination in the region. An FIR was registered under the SC/ST Atrocities Act and the police initiated an investigation.According to a media report, the man who assaulted him refused to apologize to the boy. Meanwhile, local activists called for justice and accountability for the perpetrators.

Under Mission Kakatiya of the Telangana government, which aims to revive and restore irrigation sources in the state, the Gangaram lake in Chanda Nagar, was set to get a facelift with a walking track, a cycling track, sewage diversion system and an open gym. However, “the lake is surrounded by illegal constructions that were first observed by locals in 2016. That was when the people came together and formed Gangaram Lake Restoration Foundation (GLARE) to create awareness”, the secretary of GLARE foundation told LCW. He also said, "Construction around the lake has reduced its catchment area and polluted the water.” Over the years, the polluted lake had become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The water quality degraded, emitting a stench. The growth of hyacinth was another problem. "The lake was a source of livelihood to the fisherfolk community in the area. With increasing pollution and vanishing aquatic life, fishing has been affected," Saiprasad said. The people have demanded the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) authorities to control the lake's contamination due to untreated sewage and various effluents and demarcate the lake boundary with markings and fence. According to Saiprasad, the lake's area has been reduced from 110 acres to 6070 acres at present. As of August 2020, the rejuvenation work for Gangaram lake was 50 per cent completed.

In June 2023, residents in Indore staged a protest at the IMC zone office at Vijay Nagar square over severe water shortages, demanding immediate government intervention to address the issue. During the protest, women carried pitchers with stickers reading “MLA, Mayor, give us water”. Later, the protestors broke the pitchers in front of the zone office.The demonstrators expressed frustration over inconsistent water supply, which has disrupted daily life and affected essential services. They called for reliable solutions to ensure adequate water access for the community. They even filed a memorandum addressed to the Indore Municipal Corporation commissioner raising the issue of water logging in the area during heavy rains.

Farmers in Erode, Tamil Nadu, protested against the Water Resource Department’s turn-based water distribution for the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) canal, which they claim disrupts paddy cultivation by limiting access to essential water. The Madras High Court had previously ordered action against illegal water extraction from the canal, but farmers report inadequate enforcement. Established in 1955, the LBP traditionally supports both irrigation and Drinking Water needs; recent changes, however, have raised community concerns over potential water scarcity and groundwater depletion. The association contended that the water was stopped in the canal, which had adverse effect on the farmers community as paddy could not be sown. The paddy cultivation in the area benefitted from the dam and the subsequent canal that was constructed. However, after the proposed reconstruction and renovation in 2020, there has been pushback from farmers and the local community as they contended that this move would lead to water scarcity in the region as it would affect the groundwater.

The proposed Lower Suktel Irrigation Project across river Suktel, a major tributary to Mahanadi river seeks to supply irrigation and Drinking Water to the Balangir district in Odisha.Despite being a drought-affected district, the local community has staunchly opposed the project since the 1990's. It is estimated to submerge around 5000 hectares of land (severely impacting around 29 villages) and 583 hectares of forest area. A total of 9000 families who are dependent on these lands for their livelihood would be affected by the project. Further, dedicated resettlement efforts have been lacking with many having been denied due compensation for their lands.In February 2021, it was reported that the second phase of construction work for the project had begun and that families in 15 out of 29 at- risk villages have been compensated as per Resettlement and Rehabilitation policy, 2006.

Fishermen in the Ennore-Manali area have been demonstrating against the negative consequences of industrial water contamination. Residents have complained that they are disproportionately affected by tainted air and water that include toxic industrial effluents. The only source of income for the fishermen in Ennore used to be the fish they caught, but these days, the aquatic life is disrupted by chemicals discharged from the industries. Therefore, fishermen are forced to find other contract jobs, such as manual labour jobs that pay every day. Through a variety of creative tactics, such as food festivals and art campaigns, the villagers have repeatedly demonstrated against different enterprises and thermal power plants. One of the primary causes of the devastation in Ennore is the North Chennai Thermal Power Station (NCTPS). The NCTPS releases a significant amount of hot water into the Kosasthalaiyar river during the energy production process, killing marine life and harming fishing villages. Ennore's land was once a salt pan and was used for agriculture. But the climate is becoming unsustainable for the residents of the Ennore-Manali region due to the petrochemical and coal-based industries.

In May 2024, hundreds of residents in Eloor protested against a significant fish kill in the Periyar River, attributing the issue to pollution from local industries. Angry protesters threw dead fish inside the premises of the Kerala Pollution Control Board.The community, dependent on fishing and agriculture, has been demanding action against the factories responsible for contaminating the water. Despite previous interventions, conditions have not improved, leading to increased anger and frustration among the locals. The protest underscores the ongoing struggle against industrial pollution affecting livelihoods. Eloor has been seeing an increase in industrialization since 1944. Over 300 industries were present in the region by 2005.

People in Odisha and Chhattisgarh have joined forces to save the Mahanadi River, which is crucial for local agriculture, Drinking Water, and ecosystems but is now threatened by pollution, over-extraction, and decreased water flow. The Mahanadi River is essential for the people of Chhattisgarh and Odisha, serving as a crucial water source for agriculture and daily living. It supports the livelihoods of farmers and provides domestic water needs for local communities.During a meeting held in August 2016, local activists and environmental groups emphasized sustainable river management and equitable water distribution to restore and protect this essential resource. They claimed that the political parties are only looking at Mahanadi as a resource to benefit the industries. They raised critical questions about the dams and barrages being constructed and inter-sectoral water use that is damaging the original flow and form of the river. They also raised the issue of water pollution that results in contamination and affects the water used for irrigation and drinking.

My house was acquired in 2002, and I was given a plot in 2004-2005. But after being shifted out of the submergence area in 2008, I am not getting the compensation money and now it is being said that this is because where I live, that area is out of the submergence area,” a villager from Akalwada, who will not receive outstanding rehabilitation compensation, exclaimed. Most of the villagers' land was acquired for the building up of Sardar Sarovar Dam but they were either not adequately compensated or rehabilitated. Additionally, the mismanagement of dam has resulted in frequent flooding in the area. A new committee was established by the Narmada Control Authority in 2007, and in 2008 the backwater level was established without a ground survey. The change in the submergence zone parameters regarding water levels has resulted in excluding more than 15,000 families in 193 villages from the compensation scheme. These families would not receive the outstanding share of rehabilitation compensation. Moreover, villagers who received compensation and rehabilitation earlier are also unhappy since the land allotted to them in Gujarat is not fertile for farming.

Unabated coal mining activities in Nagaland have significantly impacted the environment. The Tuli area is one such area purportedly facing an environmental crisis due to unregulated mining operations as coal dust and chemicals from these mines flow unchecked into streams and rivers, polluting water used by villagers in the area. Arkakong MLA Nuklutoshi disclosed that in Mokokchung district, 50 percent of Milak River is contaminated and there are no fish, and a portion of Dikhu River is also contaminated due to illegal coal mining.According to information provided by the Geology and Mining Department of Nagaland, there are 492.68 million tonnes of coal reserves in the state. However, these resources are fragmented and dispersed across numerous small pockets, spanning a vast geographical area. As a result, the government began issuing small pocket deposit licences (SPDL) to individual landowners for rat-hole mining under its coal mining policy.

Veligonda Project is an under-construction irrigation project in Andhra Pradesh's Prakasam district under which 43.50 TMC (one thousand million cubic feet) of floodwater from Krishna River will be drawn from the foreshore of the Srisailam Project Reservoir and will be carried in two tunnels to feed into the Nallamala Sagar Reservoir. While the government figures indicate that only 472.53 acres of private land are to be acquired, news reports estimate the figure to be 40,000 acres. Eleven villages will submerge due to the damming of the Nallamalla reservoir, affecting 3,863 families.Officials announced a rehabilitation and resettlement package to construct settlement colonies with the entire infrastructure ready in place by the time the families shift. It has been more than a decade since the package was announced, but there has been no progress in the infrastructure works. In June 2019, farmers again demanded a better package as per the Land Acquisition Act of 2013 as well as compensation for the delay in implementing the relief packages.

The "Save Sankey" movement in Bengaluru has intensified, with locals and activists urging the Karnataka government to abandon a proposed road-widening project that threatens the Sankey Tank lake area. More than 27,000 people have signed a petition to oppose the Sankey Flyover project which would adversely affect the Sankey tank, a historic lake known for its ecological and recreational significance. Earlier, residents took out a march to support the Save Sankey movement from Sankey Flyover and road widening projects. Organised by local activists and environmentalists, the walk highlighted concerns that expanding the adjacent road would require cutting down hundreds of trees, disrupting the ecosystem around the lake. Protesters urged authorities to explore alternative infrastructure solutions that would preserve both the lake and the green cover it supports.

In 1978, the Gujarat government decided to construct a dam on the Machhan River in Nan Salai, and in 1982, close to 600 families were relocated two kilometers away. These families, mostly belonging to the Bhil tribe, opposed and resisted the project, but the government eventually succeeded in convincing them to move out. However, almost four decades later, many of these families are demanding land that was once promised to them. During the time of their relocation, the state government had promised these families some land in Kalitala, a forest area, but over the years, the forest department has refused to acknowledge their rights over the land. The small, earthen dam is built primarily for irrigation, and the water it relases reaches the homes of the people who were relocated near the dam, making the ground marshy. A local resident said, For at least three months of the year, we are surrounded by water from three fronts, which makes it impossible to grow any crop. Even if we plant some crop, the spillway from the dam ensures that the entire crop rots. Without their own land or the promised land, the farmers now struggle to cultivate crops around their new homes.

Residents of five villages in Mokhada Taluka in Maharashtra protested against the Damanganga-Vaitarna-Godavari river-linking project in 2019. Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the villagers demanded that political candidates promise to oppose it before receiving their votes. The project proposes to transfer 212 million litres per day from the water-scarce Mokhada region to the more water-abundant Sinnar area. Over half of this diverted water is earmarked for industrial use along the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. It threatens to inundate 3,200 acres of farmland and tribal lands, diverting water from the dry Mokhada region to the more prosperous Sinnar area, where over half of the diverted water is allocated for industrial use along the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. Critics argue that this shift compromises the water needs of Mokhada’s residents while benefiting a region that already meets its water requirements sustainably.

Residents of DLF 2 in Gurgaon are facing an acute water crisis, with supply drastically reduced to just 10 to 15 minutes a day. The crisis has persisted for over 20 days, leading to mounting frustration among the residents. They have begun relying heavily on water tankers, which cost about Rs 2,000 each, further straining their resources​.“We haven't got even a single drop of water in the past month. We are spending exorbitant amounts of money on private tankers,” a protesting resident complained. Residents also complained that their suggestions for water harvesting have also not been paid any heed.In response to the worsening situation, residents staged protests in front of the boosting station, demanding immediate action from the municipal authorities. They expressed their anger over the insufficient supply and the authorities' failure to resolve the ongoing crisis​. Many are concerned about the lack of effective measures, despite past promises to improve water delivery and infrastructure in the area​.

In Rajasthan, at least 10 districts threatened to boycott Assembly elections if the damaged water tank was not repaired and filters were not built between pond water and pipeline water tank. Villagers of Daulatpura submitted a memorandum to Additional District Collector Kapil Yadav, demanding adequate supply of Drinking Water. The villagers complained that they have been facing a water crisis for the past 15 years. They are pushed to give salt water to their livestock and buy water through tankers at Rs 700. The water tank constructed under the Jal Jeevan Mission has not been functioning properly due to irregularities in construction. The Public Health Engineering Department responded to these complaints by saying that the tank was damaged due to flooding and repair work would start soon.

In Tamil Nadu, villagers have been protesting against Adani Ports' plans to expand a major port, citing Environmental Concerns and the impact on local livelihoods. The proposed project threatens to displace fishing communities and damage coastal ecosystems, particularly mangroves, which play a crucial role in biodiversity and protecting shorelines. Villagers argue that the expansion will lead to further industrialisation of the area, increasing pollution and compromising their traditional ways of life."The number of fish varieties found here has already gone down significantly. Any kind of expansion would further deplete its population," a fisherwoman told the BBC. The protests first broke out in 2018 and have recurred over the years. This expansion would affect more than 100 towns and villages in terms of livelihood. Moreover, the plan would result in coastal erosion and loss of biodiversity. Despite these protests, the Adani Group insists that the port will bring economic development and job opportunities to the region. The situation reflects a broader tension in India between development and environmental protection, as local communities seek to assert their rights against large corporate interests. The villagers are rallying support and drawing attention to their plight, hoping to halt the project and protect their homes.

In 2001, the Narmada Valley Development Authority sanctioned the Upper Narmada Irrigation project, a multipurpose dam to be built on the Narmada river in Anuppur and Dindori districts. The project also involved a composite dam to be built in the neighbouring village of Shobhapur in Rinatola tehsil in Dindori. The project proposed to irrigate 18,616 hectares of area in Anuppur and Dindori districts.The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change as well as the Ministry of Tribal Affairs cleared the project along with the Rehabilitation and Resettlement plan that would be applied to 27 villages that are likely to be submerged. The project has met with stiff opposition by the residents of these villages. They do not want to give away their land and have filed a petition in the Madhya Pradesh high court.In 2016, it was reported that the Narmada Valley Development Authority was likely to reconsider the project in light of the opposition to dam construction and land acquisition. But in May 2020, the state government, through Narmada Basin Projects Company Limited, signed an MoU with the Central governments Power Finance Corporation to reinstate the project and get a loan to complete the construction work.

Residents of Chheharta in Amritsar have been protesting against the municipal corporation due to issues related to contaminated water supply and frequent sewer blockages. A huge protest was organised in front of the Municipal Corporation Zonal Office in Chheharta in July 2024, where residents claimed that they are forced to consume contaminated potable water which has led to many diseases too. Despite previous demonstrations, locals claim conditions remain unbearable, with sewage accumulating in streets. The Municipal Corporation has acknowledged the problem but faces criticism for inadequate solutions. Some residents argue that temporary measures like desilting are insufficient, advocating for a significant increase in the capacity of the sewage treatment plant to effectively resolve the ongoing crisis.

The Bagmati Project, involving the construction of embankments along the river Bagmati as a flood control measure, has resulted in villagers suffering multiple displacements since the 1970s, with many still awaiting compensation and rehabilitation.A report by Thirdpole in 2017 highlighted how 6,565 families from 50 villages displaced by the embankment. Another report by Gao Connection notes the plight of residents. "I have a farm of about 20 acres. After the construction of the dam in 2008–2009, half of my farm was ruined. The farm now contains sand and water for four to five months." Most of the people of 109 villages, where the embankments will be built under Phase 3(B) and Phase 5(A) of 'Bagmati Flood Management Scheme', have been opposing the project because they believe that if there was no flood, they will not get fertile soil for farming. Around 120 villages have been protesting since 2012 against the construction of embankments in the district and plan to continue their opposition.

The Kameng Hydro Electric Power Project in West Kameng district is a run-off water scheme that will directly utilise the water flow from the Bichom and Tenga rivers to generate 600 MW of electricity. The project, being undertaken by the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO), was initially estimated to be built at Rs 2,496 crore but was later revised to Rs 8458.94 crore.According to a memorandum submitted to the chief minister on 26 November 2019, by the Aka Elite Society (AES), people in five villages - Bichom, Buragaon, Kimi, Khuppi and Yayung - comprising more than 500 families, have lost their agricultural lands to the project site and to the Power House Complex “without any compensation”. This, the AES claims, is on the “pretext” of the land falling under reserve forest. The memorandum states that the land has been “under the possession of our ancestors since time immemorial”. In lieu of money, the members of the Hrusso Aka and Bugun communities, the dominant tribes in the affected villages, had put forth two demands to NEEPCO: good road connectivity from Pinjoli village to Bichom (92 kilometres) and Grade C and D jobs under the Union government. Neither demand has been fulfilled till date.When LCW spoke to the project-affected persons (PAPs), they said they did not oppose the project in the hope of better road connectivity, education and healthcare, as promised by NEEPCO officials. “We were promised good roads long ago. We do not have any issue with heavily loaded trucks transporting material for the project, but it has made our roads non-motorable. Who will take responsibility? Neither the state nor the NEEPCO officials are responding,” a resident of Buragaon told LCW.

In Gullu village in Jashpur district, Chhattisgarh Hydro Power Private Limited constructed a 24 megawatt power plant on Gullu waterfall, located on a tributary of the Mahanadi river. Since 2007, the project has been facing strong opposition from the tribal communities in 22 villages. The communities claim that the project would affect 1,476 families and the rich biodiversity of the region. They also fear displacement due to the submergence of land on the river banks, which the company has allegedly not considered. The power company, on the other hand, claimed that the project would only affect 38 families living in four villages. On 26 March 2007, the district administration organised a Gram Sabha in Dumartoli village to give the people information about the project. In June 2011, residents of Gullu, Jhargaon and Chatakpur villages participated in a Gram Sabha to register their opposition to the project. They staged protests outside the company's office and voiced their concerns about displacement. In October 2014, the Jal, Jungle Aur Jameen Bachao Samiti protested, claiming that the company was misleading the people and was illegally acquiring land.Despite protests, the dam was commissioned in 2017 after a final survey. However, many of the concerns of the affected villagers remained unaddressed.

The Kiru and Kwar hydroelectric projects in the Nagseni area of Kishtwar district in Jammu, which have an installed capacity of 624 MW and 540 MW respectively, has affected more than 200 people. The state government has allocated Rs 4.5 crore as compensation for affected families, while Rs 30 crore has been earmarked as compensation for families displaced by Kiru project. In 2020, a report by the Third Pole noted that many villagers who had to give up their land for the Kiru project and relocate to Kishtwar town, found the compensation insufficient to purchase a plot in the town. They said promises of jobs, skills training and covering children's education were not kept. In February 2021, a Grievances Redressal Committee (GRC) visited the site of Kiru HEP, to resolve several grievances raised by the locals. However, issues of pending payment of compensation and inconsistent water supply, are yet to be resolved.

Villagers near Navi Mumbai protested against the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) in July 2024 and attempted to halt the water supply from Morbe Dam. They claim that the dam, built on their land, displaced them without fair compensation, jobs, or adequate water supply to their villages, as promised. After a nine-day hunger strike, they escalated their protest by entering the dam premises. Despite police presence, they disrupted operations, demanding long-overdue support. The villagers have threatened further action, including "Jal Samadhi" (water burial), if their grievances remain unmet.An NMMC official told the Lokmat Times that the Maharashtra Jal Pradhikaran (MJP) started work on the dam in 1990. However, due to lack of funds, the project was halted. Later, MJP approached the state government to see if any corporation was willing to buy the dam.After nearby corporations declined, NMMC decided to acquire the dam to solve the ever-growing problems of water scarcity, rising water costs, and dependency on external water supply agencies. However, the civic body denied providing permanent jobs to the affected villagers, as the agreement was originally between MJP and the villagers. According to the villagers, the issue has persisted for around 32 years.

The Kanhar dam was originally approved by the Central water commission in September, 1976. In 2014, after a span of 25 years the project was commenced without a fresh cost benefit analysis (CBA), any environment impact assessment (EIA) or the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) for the project. In 2015, the NGT gave its go ahead for the project.The dam construction work began without consulting the villagers or the local gram panchayats. If constructed, the dam will submerge more than 4,000 Hectares of land in which not only the forest be affected, but nearly 10,000 families (many of which are tribal) will be displaced. A local committee, Kanhar Bachao Andolan, started mobilization against the project in 2002. In 2014 during an agitation, 39 persons were injured out of which 12 of them were seriously wounded during a firing.No ground level agitation has been going since then. No ground level agitation has been going since then. In 2020-21, the UP government sanctioned Rs 180 crore to expedite construction of the dam.

In Jaipur's Sanganer tehsil, farmers have long used water from a Dravyavati River feeder—polluted with effluents from nearby dye and print industries—to irrigate crops. Some have installed pumps or pipelines to access this water, believing the chemical content boosts crop yields and soil nutrition. The vegetables grown with this water often appear larger, but concerns remain about the health and environmental impacts of using polluted water for agriculture.Despite multiple legal petitions, unauthorized print and dye industries in Jaipur’s Sanganer area continue to discharge pollutants into the Dravyavati River, affecting water quality. Farmers use this contaminated water for irrigation, despite health risks, citing enhanced crop yield. In 2015, the Rajasthan High Court ordered the seizure of pumps used to draw this water, but enforcement has been limited. Police occasionally confiscate pump sets, but farmers reinstall them, underscoring ongoing challenges in regulation and environmental safety.“I stopped farming after my father died of cancer. Consumption of the grains and vegetables grown on our farm with the toxic water caused the deadly disease. Mostly, the farmers of Sanganer don’t consume their yield but get food from other villages for household consumption. The vegetables and grains grown here are sold all over Jaipur city,” said Babulal, a local farmer.

The Kerala Fish Workers Federation (KFWF) is protesting policies by the central government that they believe push privatisation of marine resources, endangering local fishing communities' livelihoods. The fish workers federation started a foot march in protest of the Blue Economy and Offshore Areas Minerals (Development and Regulations) Act, citing the handing over of resources to private corporations and livelihood issues of the fishing community.The march started from Kasargod on 16 September 2024 to cover 565 km across the nine coastal districts highlighting the challenges faced by the fishing community. The KFWF voiced concerns over policies allowing deep-sea fishing by corporates, reduced kerosene subsidies, and insufficient coastal protection measures. They argue these policies threaten environmental balance and traditional fishing practices, demanding stronger state protections and resource management that prioritise local needs over corporate interests.The people contended that the coastline provides livelihood for 8 lakh people who depend upon fishing and allied works in the fishing sector. They claimed that this would be detrimental for the ecosystem as private companies would incrementally increase soil erosion and excavation would stop the flow of fish from deep sea to the outer sea.

In 2011, the Gujarat government decided to construct a barrage on the Narmada river near Bhadbhut village in Bharuch district, as part of the Kalpasar project. The reservoir is supposed to trap the water of 12 rivers, including Narmada, Mahi, Sabarmati, Dhadar and some Saurashtra rivers that empty their water in the gulf.The barrage is aimed at curbing the salinity ingress that has affected potable water sources and local industries. However, some fisherfolks have protested against the Bhadbhut barrage, fearing it would affect their fishing activity. In the estuary between Narmada near Bhadbhut where sweet and saline water meet, large quantity of Hilsa and Palwa fish are found. If the barrage or causeway is constructed, fishing will be severely affected, they claim. Nearly 30000 people were estimated to be affected by the project.In September 2020, the state government issued a notification to acquire 131 hectares of land from 14 villages on the banks of the Narmada. The villagers have not protested but the fisherfolk continue to.

The Uttarakhand government's proposed river-linking project, which aims to solve the long-standing water crisis in remote areas of the hill state, has faced significant opposition from local communities. This initiative aims to connect Sunderdunga and Shambhu rivers in Pindar valley to Gomti river in Baijnath Valley in a bid to enhance irrigation and manage water resources more effectively. However, nearly 60,000 villagers of Deval, Tharali, Narayanbagar and Karnaprayag have pledged to oppose the project. The protesters have argued that the project endangers the livelihood and biodiversity of Pindar valley. “Natural resources are public property and any such protest requires a public consultation. Where are all the scientific and feasibility studies related to the project? The government should understand that diverting rivers is neither easy nor good for the ecology, ” read a memorandum that was given by the villagers to the Chief Minister. The memorandum asked the government to halt the project immediately and threatened to take out “massive protests” if the project is not stopped.

During a severe water crisis in Delhi, residents protested at the Jal Board filling pump in Okhla in June 2024. Protesters expressed their frustrations over the ongoing water shortages, only to be met with water cannons from the police, creating a stark irony. Residents have been struggling with a lack of Drinking Water for months, and many criticized the police's actions, highlighting the absurdity of using water against protesters in the midst of a crisis.Water distribution from the Yamuna River is a significant source of conflict between Delhi and Haryana, with Haryana accusing Delhi of exceeding permitted usage under various agreements. The Upper Yamuna River Board has faced criticism for inadequate oversight of water allocations among basin states. This mismanagement has led to health issues, a lack of safe Drinking Water, and overall water shortages in the region.

The Polavaram project, which is being built on the Godavari river, aims to supply safe Drinking Water to 540 communities and irrigate 2.91 lakh hectares of land. But, one tribal family will be displaced for every five acres (2.02 hectares) that the project will irrigate. Over 300 villages, including tribal hamlets, will be submerged, displacing over 4 lakh people, including 50,000 dalits and 1.5 lakh tribals. In 2018, thousands of tribals marched in protest demanding the settlement of their forest rights claims and proper resettlement and rehabilitation under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Act, 2013.At least 100 villages have stated that their FRA rights have not been settled in the submergence zone since the forest removal. When this matter was raised in 2007, an activist who runs the non-profit Integrated Tribal Development Society in the region, was charged with sedition and jailed for three months. Moreover, villagers say that the relocation package of the government is not adequate as it does not give them rights over their land. "It took years to make this village self-sustaining. It will take the same number of years if we get a suitable place elsewhere. What would happen to us in the meantime?" a resident near the Godavri basin complained.

Protests erupted in Kakinada over allegations that Aurobindo Pharma is releasing industrial chemicals into the sea, negatively impacting marine life and the livelihoods of local fishermen. The villagers are dependent on fishing for their earnings and this has resulted in loss of their income. Demonstrators from four villages blocked roads and set fishing boats on fire, expressing frustration after multiple petitions to local authorities went unaddressed. In response, the company claims the pipelines are for water intake after desalination and that operations have not yet started. Tensions escalated with fishermen threatening self-harm, prompting police intervention to calm the situation.According to a firm personnel, water is drawn from the pipelines and used after desalination. The Pollution Control Board officials added that the fishermen's claims were baseless and the company has not started its operations as of now.

“Floods come every year,” said Rajeshwari Doley, a middle-aged woman from Majuli, an island formed by the Brahmaputra river in Assam. She has no faith that the government will, or can, do much to deal with the recurrent crisis. At most, she hopes that the government will provide additional seeds for agriculture after the floods.The Mising community living in Kulamua village were unaware that the government is obliged to provide shelter, food and Drinking Water during and after floods. The lack of access to information and infrastructure, makes the indigenous community more vulnerable. The Mising are the only community in North East India that still live along the banks of the Brahmaputra and Subansiri rivers, according to the Mising Autonomous Council (MAC).Although the people have traditionally found shelter even in the worst of floods, this is now changing. Tengo Pegu, a resident, told The Third Pole, “Generally floods hit once or twice in April and May and remain for a week or two. But in 2018, floods came thrice and we had to run towards the central part [of the island] to protect ourselves.”Their situation underscores the lack of effective governmental response and awareness programs, leaving communities like the Mising to cope with extreme flooding and displacement on their own.

On 17 February 2024, several left-wing organisations protested the privatisation of the Dumboor reservoir, situated in the Dhalai district of Tripura. They demanded the cancellation of a lease agreement with a private company, SN Aqua Agro Pvt Ltd, that took over 4,500 hectares of land, including the reservoir, for aquaculture development. The move has sparked criticism and accusations of jeopardising the livelihoods of about 15,000 local fishermen. Dumboor Lake, spanning over 3,049 hectares, is a vital resource for commercial fish farming and tourism. Constructed in 1974, the Dumboor reservoir is situated in the Dhalai and Gomati districts of Tripura to generate hydroelectric power. The fishery department of Tripura stated that the project aims to increase revenue through a public-private partnership while ensuring the welfare of fishermen and utilising local manpower. Executive Member Fishery Rajesh Tripura emphasised that stringent conditions were imposed on the investor agency to benefit local fishermen and outlined plans for enhancing fish production and providing financial assistance.

In the Kuttanad region of Kerala, residents are forced to leave their ancestral villages due to constant flooding in the area. This has resulted in loss of their livelihood and homes. The area, known for its unique farming practices, faces an existential threat as rising water levels and climate change exacerbate the situation.“The house was damaged after the bund collapsed. The agriculture officer, village officer and tehsildar visited the place and offered Rs 4 lakh as compensation. But nothing has been given so far,” a resident whose house was damaged in the 2020 floods told The News Minute. However, scores of people are waiting for the compensation announced by the government to shift to a safer locality. Local communities are struggling to cope with the loss of livelihoods. The wetland agriculture system in Kuttanad is the only one in the country that supports rice cultivation below sea level on land created by draining delta swamps in brackish waters. Since the 2018 floods, excessive rains, recurring flooding and waterlogging has become a norm in the area, prompting urgent calls for government assistance and sustainable solutions to address the flooding and its impacts.

Seven drought-stricken villages in Tumkur district’s Tiptur tehsil have protested against the acquisition of land for the Yettinahole Integrated Drinking Water Project as government officials and politicians have not accepted their demand of receiving 1.5 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) water from the project in exchange for their land and have neither clarified the amount of compensation that they will receive for the same. The project is currently in the survey stage in Tiptur, but farmers are already boycotting such procedures. Land is proposed to be acquired from Bommalapura, Madihalli, Geddalahalli, Edenahalli, Halepalya and Kanchaghatta villages in Tiptur, which is grappling with depleting groundwater levels, but the farmers from these villages will be unable to access any water from the project.Yettinahole is a tributary of the Netravati river in Dakshin Kannada district. The government plans to divert 24 TMC, or 672 billion litres, of the river water to provide Drinking Water to the drought-prone districts of Kolar, Bengaluru Rural, Chikkaballapura, Hassan and Tumkur through pipeline and canals. If executed, the project will submerge many villages, affecting farmlands and displacing families. Even fisherfolk are expected to be affected due to the reduced water flow in catchment areas of the stream.

The ongoing ethnic conflict between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities in Manipur since 2023 has greatly impacted Loktak Lake, a critical resource for over 100,000 people who rely on fishing for survival. Escalating tensions have disrupted fishing activities, while an influx of displaced people has increased competition on the lake. Local fishers report reduced earnings but continue to share resources with newcomers, despite environmental and economic strain. The conflict has also highlighted legal challenges, with over 80 hearings failing to secure protections for communities and the lake.Loktak, known for its unique floating islands, also faces challenges from infrastructure projects and invasive species. Conservation efforts are being hindered by the current instability, potentially accelerating ecological degradation in this UNESCO-recognized site.

The use of 6.07 hectares of land situated in Shirsule village of Ahmednagar to construct a water supply project is a present cause of concern for various local residents of the area.The project is being executed by Maharashtra Government’s Water Supply and Sanitation Department, also known as the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP), under the auspices of Central Government’s flagship Jal Jeevan Mission, that plans to bring water to every tap across India.The project, planned on government-owned land, envisions construction of a water treatment plant as well as a water tank to supply water to locals of neighbouring villages.However, the primary grievance of local residents’ concerns tree felling proposed to be undertaken for the project. As per the testimony of local farmer Baban Kawad, the said area of 6.07 ha presently holds somewhere between 1000-1200 trees which are likely to be felled or damaged during construction of the water supply project. “This forest was planted by the villagers, who continue to rely on forest produce for their livelihoods. There are also peacocks and leopards who live in this forest. This project will destroy it all,” claimed Kawad.

For over a decade, villagers in Himachal Pradesh's Satluj basin have been protesting the Luhri Hydro Project due to inadequate compensation, environmental damage, and the impact of blasting, which has damaged crops and homes. The project, proposed by the Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited in 2010, has faced significant opposition from locals, resulting in a delay in completion of the project.The final Social Impact Assessment report estimated that 333 families will be affected in eight villages across Shimla, Kullu, and Mandi, and 119.79 hectares of land will be submerged. In December 2019, during the public hearing, families in Nanj rejected the SIA report, stating that it is half-baked and understates their dependence on agriculture in the area. In February 2024, around 800 villagers, including many women, joined the protest led by Himachal Kisan Sabha, demanding fair compensation, permanent jobs, and expanded pollution relief.

Farmers from Palghar district in July 2018 protested under the Surya Pani Bachav Samiti (SPBS) banner against the state’s decision to divert 89% of Surya Dam’s water to the urban areas of Vasai-Virar and Mira-Bhayander. Surya Dam, constructed in 1990, supplies water for both irrigation and drinking use to Palghar’s communities. But urban areas were to receive water from it temporarily between 1996 and 2007.Farmers argue that this diversion threatens rural water access, fearing it will deplete supplies for Drinking Water schemes in Palghar. The protest included a hunger strike and traffic blockade. Activists say this shift threatens rural access to water, essential for agriculture and drinking needs. “The very purpose of providing water to tribal farmers is being diverted to quench the thirst of the urban city-dwellers,” an activist taking part in the protest told the Hindustan Times.

Fisherfolk in Kerala are protesting the Adani Group’s Vizhinjam Port project, arguing that it has caused significant coastal erosion, endangering homes and disrupting their traditional fishing zones. Coastal communities from more than 40 villages are protesting to stop the project.Many claim the Environmental Impact Assessment overlooked these issues, leading to displacement and economic distress. Despite the opposition, the Kerala government supports the project for its economic benefits. The protesters, with backing from local organisations and the Latin Catholic Church, demand a construction halt until their environmental and livelihood concerns are resolved.The construction of the port requires a total of 450 hectares of land which would include claiming 120 hectares of ocean and seabed. The communities have claimed that this would exponentially damage the coast. Meanwhile, the port minister said that stopping the project at this time would lead to huge financial loss as a lot of work has already been done.

Residents of four villages in Jharkhand's Seraikela Kharsawan district face the risk of displacement from the Suru Medium Irrigation Project. Under the project, the Department of Water Resources plans to irrigate 4,000 hectares of farmland by building a reservoir on Suru River.The project affected families allege that the state did not secure the consent of the villagers, violating the Forest Rights Act, 2006 and the government failed to offer a resettlement and rehabilitation package at the time of land acquisition. On 4 February 2022, the then MLA Dashrath Gagrai performed the Bhoomi Pujan along with Water Resources Department Engineer Manohar Prasad to resume the work. The local MLA had said that years ago, some of the displaced people had received compensation from the government under this scheme. But now the number of displaced family members has increased. Therefore, the government will conduct a fresh survey and identify other displaced families and provide them benefits under the displacement policy.

Residents of Ananwan, Kashmir went up against the Jal Shakti department demanding adequate Drinking Water. “We are fed up with the false promises of the concerned department of providing us tap water.”- a resident complained mentioning the failure of Jal Jeevan Mission.People had to pay ₹500 to tractor drivers every alternate day to get them water. The drying up of wells and streams due to extreme heat has added to the miseries of residents.The Executive engineer of the Jal Shakti Department responded that the work under the scheme to provide potable water to the village is almost complete and it would soon get the supply of water.

Villagers in Wanwun, Bandipora, staged a protest over the lack of potable water, highlighting the government's failure to provide this essential resource. The residents blocked the Sumbal Singhpora road for a few hours and gathered outside the Jal Shakti department at Junction Mohalla Nowgam.“Ha Khudayoo, Treishe Dadeh Iseh Hai Gaye Zayoo; Daad Bozuh Souni Khudayoo, Treishe Dadeh Iseh Hai Gaye Zayoo (Oh God! Our life is a waste without water; Listen to us oh God! Our life is a waste without water,” the women sang in unison, synonymous with the Kashmir weddings.Residents demanded immediate solutions to the ongoing water crisis, which affects their daily lives and health. They claimed that Drinking Water was not supplied for more than 15 days and they had to buy bottled water for drinking and domestic use. The locals complained that the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme is not being implemented even after being sanctioned.

Halon Irrigation Project is one of the 29 major projects identified in the Narmada Master Plan. The project site is about six kilometres from Sijhora village on NH-12A (Jabalpur – Raipur Road). When completed, the project is expected to irrigate 13,040 hectares of land in 46 villages of Ghughari, Bichhiya and Mohgaon blocks of Mandla district. The project envisages the construction of a 31-metre-high and 993-metre-long composite gravity dam across the Halon river, a sub-tributary of the Narmada near Karanjiya village, with an estimated cost of INR 278.96 crore. The reservoir will be spread over an area of about 16.80 square kilometres and will create storage of 146.08 million cubic metres. Around 10 villages in Balaghat and five villages in Mandla districts will be partially submerged. Around 1413.02 hectares of private land, 157.29 hectares of revenue land and 109.80 hectares of forestland will come under submergence. As many as 1,577 families will be affected by the project, out of which 664 families are required to be resettled. (See the Halon-Mandala EIA Executive Summary report)During the land acquisition for the project, some farmers approached the local authorities, saying they got less compensation than promised. Some claimed that their name was not in the compensation list but their land had been taken away. The farmers say that "if this land is snatched from us, how will we take care of ourselves?" They have been continuously staging protest and agitations and many have individually approached local authorities with complaints. They say they will not part with their land unless they get fair compensation and rehabilitation.Rajkumar Sinha from the National Alliance of People's Movement told LCW on October 11, 2019, "The struggle was very active in the initial phase. However, of late it has gone passive." He further added that the government has not taken any decision related to compensation. The dam is being built by a private company. Due to lack of resources, the protests have mellowed down. LCW spoke to Rajkumar Sinha again on August 3, 2020. He said, "The work of some dam is still ongoing. The compensation has been given but the rehabilitation work is incomplete."

Residents of Shivaji Nagar in Jalandhar protested in June 2024 against dirty water supply and overflowing sewage, accusing local authorities of indifference. Demonstrators demanded immediate action, highlighting health issues due to contaminated water. They expressed their intent to boycott elections until their grievances are addressed, emphasising that authorities have ignored previous complaints. The BJP candidate also promised to raise the issue with municipal officials for a prompt resolution​.Deputy Mayor Ashwani Jhangral said he had been asking the Municipal Corporation to at least send a suction machine so that overflowing sewage could be handled for the time being. “All water supply pipes in the area need to be replaced as these have become rotten and sewage gets mixed with water and flows down the taps,” he said.The residents complained that they have faced several health issues like stomach ailments due to the contaminated water. After a few hours of the protest, the BJP candidate went live on Facebook and urged the authorities to fix the problem of overflowing sewage.

Residents in areas of Dharwad blocked roads to protest against irregular water supply, highlighting their frustration with prolonged and erratic service. They blocked the Dharwad-Goa Road for an hour, demanding adequate water supply by carrying empty pots and raising slogans against the Karnataka Urban Drinking Water Supply & Drainage Board and HDMC.The protesters complained that they get the supply for only 2-3 hours a day. Further, the Drinking Water Supply had gone once every 15 days. The people have to pay water tankers to get Drinking Water. They further added that prior complaints to officials have not resulted in any action from the authorities. The protest was withdrawn once the people were assured supply of Drinking Water every three days but the situation of water scarcity persists.

In a significant ruling on July 2, 2019, the Calcutta High Court observed that the process adopted by the West Bengal government to acquire land for the 1,000-megawatt Turga Pumped Storage Project (TPSP) violated the Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA). The court had earlier stayed the project in August 2018. The TPSP hydroelectric power project was proposed in 2017 for the storage and generation of electricity. The project required 292 hectares of forest land. Local people-led Ajodhya Buru Bachao Andolan Samhati Mancha organised meetings in 2019 to assemble villagers, environmental activists, lawyers and civil society members to fight for the issue. According to the villagers, they did not give their consent for the project, which is mandatory as per the Forest Rights Act, 2006. In July 2019, the state government challenged the high court order before a division bench. The case was being heard as of February 2020.

The Morand and Ganjal irrigation projects, proposed in 1972, were approved by the Madhya Pradesh government in 2017. The MorandGanjal Complex Irrigation Project area covers four districts of the state Hoshangabad, Betul, Harda and Khandwa. The initiation of surveys for land acquisition led to a fear of loss of livelihood among the Korku tribes inhabiting the area. In 2014, a PIL was filed in the Jabalpur High Court on the likelihood of submergence of villages and noncompliance of compensation and rehabilitation rules. "As of now, there have been no discussions on the compensation or the rehabilitation of the tribals after the land acquisition for the dam. There are talks that the tribespeople may be given INR 2.5 lakh per acre, however, we want at least Rs. 10 lakh, he added. The tribes have vowed to oppose the project”, stated a news report in 2019.LCW spoke to Jindagi Bachao Abhiyan on August 8, 2020. They said, "The project has not received any environmental clearance or Stage I forest clearance. The gram sabha has also passed a proposal opposing the project. Despite this, in September 2019, the Narmada Valley Development Authority floated an INR 1,800 crore tender for the construction of the project."

In Telangana’s Medak, villagers blocked a road in protest over severe water shortages, expressing frustration at the lack of action from local authorities. They highlighted the daily struggles faced due to unreliable water sources and demanded immediate measures to address their needs.The village did not get Drinking Water Supply for nearly two weeks. The village gets water under the Mission Bhagiratha scheme, which aims to provide safe Drinking Water to 2.32 crore people in 20 lakh urban households and 60 lakh rural areas of Telangana. The supply of water was disrupted, which angered the villagers and they called for a protest.The protest underscores ongoing issues with water accessibility in rural areas of Telangana.

To express opposition to the dam's development, the farmers' organization in April 2024 declared a siege in front of the Cauvery River executive engineer's office. To sustain the agitation and escalate the demonstrations, a 15-member committee made up of leaders from farmer's groups was established.The water from the Cauvery is used to irrigate about 22 lakh acres of agricultural land. Additionally, 32 districts and 5 crore people rely on it for their Drinking Water. Their access to and availability of water would be impeded by the dam. To halt the building, farmers from all around Tamil Nadu demonstrated at Thanjavur. They intended to write to India's Chief Justice about this issue.A large portion of the region's flora and wildlife would be impacted by the construction of Mekedatu Dam, which would submerge 4619.63 acres of nearby reserve forest and 7,862.64 acres of the extremely vulnerable Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary. The project, first proposed in 2013, received Cabinet approval in February 2017. The Central Water Commission (CWC) gave in-principle approval for preparing DPR in 2019.

The Water Resources Department of Madhya Pradesh has proposed to develop the Mohanpura dam across Newaj river near Banskhedi village in Rajgarh district. The catchment area intercepted at the dam site is 3,726 square kilometres. The proposed dam will provide water for irrigation as well as for domestic and industrial uses. Farmers from 32 villages have protested against the insufficient compensation offered for their land, which was acquired for the project. The project has affected more than 10000 people. They allege that only nine villages have received the compensation after three years of the land acquisition and that the amount for the compensation and rehabilitation package is much lower than what they had expected. Moreover, many farmers who had received the compensation were unable to access their bank accounts as the administration had prohibited the withdrawal of money from the accounts by freezing them.Till date, some of the villages have not received the compensation and rehabilitated package yet. In July 2020, it was reported that villagers under the submergence zone will be informed through local panchayats about the date of opening of the dam which will flood the villages.

Residents of Shapoorji Pallonji Parkwest, an upscale apartment complex in Bengaluru, staged a protest due to severe water scarcity following a 10% reduction in water supply by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB). The reduction specifically affected facilities consuming between 40 lakh and 2 crore litres of water daily. Residents, who own flats valued at around Rs 2 crore each, expressed their frustration by chanting slogans and displaying placards demanding adequate water access.The management of the complex acknowledged the crisis, attributing it to groundwater depletion and the drying up of borewells. They reassured residents that they were actively seeking solutions, including the procurement of water through tankers, although this has proven challenging due to widespread supply issues. The management also highlighted the operational status of their internal water treatment facility, aimed at providing residents with quality water.In light of the ongoing challenges, the developers urged residents to conserve water and expressed hope that the upcoming monsoon would alleviate the situation. The community's collective action underscores the urgency of addressing water supply issues in Bengaluru, as similar concerns have been noted across the city​.

Residents of Kishangarh village in Delhi's Mehrauli protested against ongoing sewage problems, demanding urgent government action. They highlighted health risks from stagnant sewage and symbolically placed cutouts of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the water to express their frustration. The villagers accused the Delhi government of corruption and criticised the local administration for ignoring their grievances. People said that they were forced to remain indoors due to the unhygienic conditions, with some residents falling ill as a result of the dirty sewage water. The protesters demanded immediate resolution to the problem, as they faced daily hardships. The protest reflects rising discontent over municipal service failures in the area.

A group of environmentalists, farmer unions, activists from Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan protested in Ludhiana against the water contamination of Buddha Nala by industries situated near the Sutlej river. They launched their movement named ‘Kale Pani da Morcha’ to combat the water pollution crisis.Over the years, the Buddha Nala has become a symbol of acute levels of water pollution in Punjab, directly impacting the people in Punjab and Rajasthan. Stating that they have been raising the issue for 40 years now, the protesters highlighted that polluted water has led to health issues, such as cancer, liver cirrhosis, skin and eye ailments, and environmental degradation in the region. The activists also gave an ultimatum to the Punjab government citing that if the problem is not fixed, they would be forced to stop the flow of toxic chemicals in Buddha Nala themselves. The people have iterated that this is their movement to save the water bodies since the government has failed to conserve their environment.

Residents from around 40 villages in Zira, Punjab, have been protesting for nearly a year against an alcohol distillery accused of polluting groundwater. They allege that Malbros International Pvt Ltd engages in reverse boring, releasing untreated effluents that contaminate local water supplies, leading to severe health issues, including cancer and kidney disease. The community's demands for clean water and accountability from the factory have been met with indifference, prompting ongoing demonstrations. Earlier, the National Green Tribunal constituted a committee to assess the groundwater but after examination, the industry was given a clean chit. Later, the Central Pollution Control Board collected samples from the borewells and found that the water was fit for drinking as they had concentrations of high metals. The villagers have filed several FIRs and complaints, however, no action has been taken against the industry.

The Pattiseema lift irrigation project was commissioned in July 2014 and was built by 2016, sidestepping the concerns of farmers whose lands were acquired and of experts who questioned the necessity, viability and feasibility of the project. Local residents and activists question the necessity of the project when water availability to Rayalaseema depends on other irrigation projects -- Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanti and Galeru Nagari Sujala Sravanti, both of which are under construction. Further, there is no assured allocation of water to Rayalaseema. The project will affect a total of 19 households and 728 hectares of land area. The farmers allege that they were not consulted before the start of the project but were forced to give their consent for the same. They also accuse the government of spending large sums of money to advertise and promote the project in various events. Experts have also pointed out that proper environmental impact studies were not carried out on mixing river waters, loss of habitat and effect on wetlands and floodplains.

In October 2024, residents of Mirpora village, located on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway near Banihal town, staged a protest against the acute Drinking Water shortage in their area. The protesters complained that their village receives water only occasionally, forcing women and children to fetch water from distant springs.They blocked vehicular traffic on the highway for over half an hour.A local resident complained, “We have repeatedly raised our voices, but the Jal Shakti department sub division Banihal has always ignored our issue”. The residents claimed that the severe water crisis has affected their livestock too.Authorities, including SDPO Banihal, reached the site and assured an adequate supply of water within two days. They further assured that they will ensure daily water supply to the residents in the coming days.

Residents in Sikkim, represented by the Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT), are demanding the decommissioning of the NHPC Stage V and Stage III dams following a landslide attributed to the underground Teesta Stage V powerhouse. “The disaster and destruction that ensued were definitely compounded by the cascade dams along the path of the Teesta. It carried away everything on its path—people, homes, bridges, livestock, vehicles, and construction equipment and caused severe damage to life, property and infrastructure,” ACT’s general secretary said while dubbing the project “the final nail in the coffin” for Sikkim. Due to the breach of Teesta III dam, more than 300 households were destroyed and residents were asked to leave their ancestral homes. The group argued that ongoing hydropower projects pose significant risks to the environment and local communities. They highlight that the reliance on such projects has exacerbated infrastructure issues and led to severe damage during recent disasters.

Farmers in Punjab demonstrated against the closure of critical canals that supply water to Rajasthan and parts of Punjab. Many fear that further delays in relining could worsen water scarcity during crucial cropping seasons.The Punjab government halted the relining project of the Rajasthan and Sirhind Feeder canals, which distribute irrigation water to Rajasthan and the southwestern regions of Punjab. Some of the farmers threatened to jump into the Gang Canal to express their ire at the government for closing the Sirhind feeder on 15 March 2024, two weeks before the regular closure time (March-end), and without warning.This situation has sparked political controversy, with several farm unions and political groups accusing the Punjab government of mismanagement. They argue that prioritising the canal water supply to neighbouring states, such as Rajasthan, has exacerbated Punjab's agricultural water scarcity, potentially threatening livelihoods and crop yields in the region. Additionally, Punjab’s own groundwater levels are critically low due to years of extensive agricultural pumping, putting more pressure on canal systems for sustainable water management.

The Loktak Hydroelectric Project in Manipur has been a source of intense water conflicts, affecting both the environment and the livelihoods of thousands. The 105 MW Loktak Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project, including the Ithai Barrage, has submerged approximately 50,000 hectares of wetland and paddy fields, devastating the livelihood of local communities, particularly impacting women who rely heavily on these ecosystems. Villages like Nambol and Langol Shabi have long depended on the wetland's natural flood regulation during monsoons and water availability for agriculture in the dry season.Since the 1980s, residents have protested, demanding the decommissioning of the Ithai Barrage due to its adverse effects. Public discontent spiked with the NHPC's decision to extend the project lease to 2023, prompting renewed protests led by the People's Committee on Restoration of Loktak. The project displaced many, including the Meitei people, who were forced from their homes without compensation, resettlement, or rehabilitation plans. In 1994, the Loktak Project Affected Areas Action Committee filed a petition against the hydroelectric project, citing irreparable damage to both farmland and local livelihoods.

Despite a ban on rat-hole mining of coal in Meghalaya by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2014, illegal coal continues to be extracted and moved across the borders of Meghalaya. A study on the mining-affected areas in Meghalaya highlighted that water streams and rivers of all three hills (Jaintia, Khasi, and Garo) have been affected by coal mining. The adverse effects are severe in Jaintia Hills as most of the streams in coal mining areas have become highly acidic.Another study showed water bodies near the mining area having a spike in acidity. This is caused when water washes along the sulfur-rich coal (a phenomenon called acid mine drainage or AMD), thereby degrading water quality and thinning biodiversity in the water bodies.Leaching of heavy metals, organic enrichment and silting add on to the burden of water pollution. Most of these rivers and streams flow towards south-east into the flood plains of Bangladesh. However, a few also flow towards northern side into the Brahmaputra valley.

To realise India's goal to generate 50,000 MW of hydroelectric power, three major projects are planned along the Subansiri river: the 2,000 MW Upper Subansiri Hydroelectric Project (HEP), the 1,800 MW Kamala Hydroelectric Project (formerly known as the Subansiri Middle Hydroelectric Project), and the 2,000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (SLHEP). Despite its strategic importance, the project has faced significant opposition from local communities in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam due to concerns over environmental impacts and displacement. It is estimated to affect nearly 1.25 lakh households and 6 lakh people. In June 2022, heavy rains in Arunachal Pradesh caused a dam overflow, flooding about a hundred villages in Assam. A flood struck the dam site on 24 September 2022, causing parts of the guard wall to collapse. This led to protests demanding the project's cancellation. Subsequent landslides on October 11 and October 27 triggered further protests. Despite this, the project was formalised in August 2023.

In Delhi, a conflict erupted over water access from a communal tap, leading to injuries among three individuals. The incident occurred in the Rohini area, where residents were filling containers when a dispute escalated into physical violence. Authorities reported that a police team intervened to restore order, and local officials emphasised the importance of maintaining peace over water resources. Such clashes highlight the ongoing water scarcity issues in the region, prompting discussions on resource management and community relations​.