# Punjab’s river desilting plan faces Centre’s green hurdle 2026-08-13T16:43:13+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Punjab’s plan to desilt and remove excess material from Beas and Ravi riverbeds across four districts has hit a roadblock. The Union environment ministry (MoEFCC) has asked the state to ensure the work does not turn into commercial extraction of minor minerals without prior environmental clearance. The projects cover 113.2 hectares in Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala, and were proposed to improve flood management and restore eroded land. A month after Punjab’s wildlife board cleared seven proposals on July 7, MoEFCC sought clarity on the exact location, proximity to protected areas, and whether the excavated material would have commercial value. Some sites, such as one in Sultanpur Lodhi, Kapurthala, fall within the Beas Conservation Reserve, a Ramsar site. The ministry has also asked for safeguards for the Indus river dolphin and gharial. ## Coverage - hindustantimes.com Tags: Beas River, desilting, flood management, Punjab, Ravi River, wildlife clearance Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/punjabs-river-desilting-plan-faces-centres-green-hurdle/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/punjabs-river-desilting-plan-faces-centres-green-hurdle/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.