NEW DELHI: The Centre has officially broadened the definition of flood plains to enhance their protection. In a notification issued by Ministry of Jalshakti on August 7, the government defined ‘Active Flood Plains’ for the Ganga River and its tributaries as areas that experience flooding at least once every five years.
The notification states, “Active flood plain means an area of the River Ganga or its tributaries that comes under water due to floods corresponding to a one-in-five-year return period.”
The new order is called the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities(Second Amendment) Order, 2026.
While the term ‘Active Flood Plains’ has appeared in government documents since 2016, it had not been clearly defined until now. Previously, the government established Regulatory Zones for flood plains based on flooding frequency: once every 25 years for Regulatory Zones and once every 100 years for Extreme Zones. With this definition, the government is expected to introduce new rules regarding construction and other activities within these Active Flood Plains.
Earlier, Central Water Commission had notified Technical Guidelines for Flood Plain Zoning in Aug 2025, which mandates prohibition of construction in active flood plain zones while regulating land use in regulatory zones. This provides minimum standards for states to formulate policies while protecting rivers.
The notification further states that “the banks of the River Ganga and its tributaries, along with their flood plains, shall be maintained to reduce pollution sources and pressures, and to preserve their natural groundwater recharge functions.”
