India, May 22 -- The Centre's submission in the Supreme Court that no new hydroelectric projects will be permitted in the upper reaches of the Ganga in Uttarakhand makes for interesting reading. The restriction applies only to new projects; seven projects in the basins of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi, the two main streams that constitute the Ganga at Devprayag, will be allowed to be completed and commissioned. These include the Tapovan Vishnugad project on Dhauliganga, a feeder of the Alaknanda system, which was badly damaged in the 2021 floods. It is unclear why the standards invoked in the case of new projects (geological and disaster-related parameters) should not be applied to under-construction dams in sites already identified as vulnerable. Why parameters applied in the Uttarakhand Himalayas should not be extended to similar projects in other Himalayan zones, for example, in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, also isn't clear. Science tells us that the Himalayas are growing mountains that are prone to quakes and landslides. The climate crisis is manifest in the most destructive ways here: Unusual glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and cloudbursts are happening at an alarming frequency, causing heavy floods, landslips and land subsidence. Particular attention is given to the Ganga basin because of the spiritual significance it holds for Hindus. Most rivers in India are considered sacred by some community or the other - for instance, the Dibang is considered a sacred river by indigenous tribes (Idu Mishmi) of Arunachal Pradesh - and is a factor that drives public protests. But none of this is really relevant. The gold standard when a hydroelectric project is proposed on a river is whether it stands ecological and geological scrutiny. Most of the projects proposed on the Teesta, Siang, or Dibang will not withstand rigorous scrutiny: Their presumed economic gains are allowed to override ecological concerns. The October 2023 floods in Sikkim, caused by a GLOF in the higher reaches of the Teesta, washed away the Teesta III project and resulted in major destruction downstream. It is a fact that the climate crisis is altering the hydrology of the Himalayan region. Retreating glaciers, cloudbursts, and landslides are causing siltation that threatens the long-term viability of dams in the Himalayan region. All these factors, hitherto ignored, have to be considered, along with issues such as the relocation and rehabilitation of human settlements and the protection of animal-avian habitats, before hydel projects are cleared. A broader conversation on how and what to build in the Himalayas is called for....