KARNALI REGION, Nepal, December 21, 2025 (Nepali Times): An in-depth report warns that the Karnali, Nepal’s last great free-flowing Himalayan river, faces growing threats from proposed hydropower development despite sustaining vast ecosystems and livelihoods from Tibet to India. Flowing from near Manasarovar on the Tibetan Plateau to its confluence with the Ganga, the Karnali still follows natural seasonal rhythms that nourish floodplains, recharge groundwater and support fisheries, wildlife and Indigenous cultures. The river is central to western Nepal’s ecology and economy, sustaining Bardia National Park’s biodiversity, including tigers and freshwater dolphins, and providing water, food and income to millions in Nepal and India, where it is known as the Ghaghara.

The article cautions that large dam projects, including the proposed Upper Karnali and Karnali-Chisapani schemes, risk permanently fragmenting this living river system. Scientists and activists argue that once dammed, sediment flows, fish migration, floodplain fertility and river-based cultures cannot be restored. Advocates propose alternative energy strategies, including hydropower on tributaries, solar development and regional power trading, which could meet Nepal’s energy needs without sacrificing the main river. With a Supreme Court hearing pending on the Karnali’s future, the report urges a basin-wide, transparent assessment that weighs ecological, cultural and long-term economic costs, warning that Nepal has many energy options but only one Karnali.

Source: https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-river-of-life

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