India Commissions First Deep Geothermal Wells at Puga Valley, Ladakh

19 July 2026National

On 17 July 2026, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor V. K. Saxena commissioned India's first and deepest geothermal wells at Puga Valley in eastern Ladakh. The two production wells, drilled by the ONGC Energy Centre, each reach a depth of 1,000 metres at an altitude above 14,000 feet. A maximum temperature of 135 degrees C was recorded at 400 metres depth. The wells pave the way for India's first demonstration-scale 1 MW geothermal pilot power project at Puga.

Static GK

Puga Valley is in the Changthang region of Ladakh | Geothermal energy = heat from Earth's interior | India geothermal hotspots: Puga & Chumathang (Ladakh), Tattapani (Chhattisgarh), Manikaran (Himachal) | Iceland & USA lead in geothermal power

⚡ Quick Revision

India commissioned its first and deepest geothermal wells (1,000 m deep, 135 C) at Puga Valley, Ladakh on 17 July 2026, drilled by ONGC Energy Centre — a step toward a 1 MW pilot plant.

ShareWhatsApp Telegram

More International Current Affairs

IBCA, ADB and NTCA Hold International Workshop on Tiger Landscapes in New Delhi

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav inaugurated an International Workshop on Tiger Landscapes in New Delhi on 2–3 September 2026, themed *'Tiger Landscapes: Conservation, Bioeconomy and Ecotourism as Pillars for Livelihood and Income Generation'*. It was organised by the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) under MoEFCC. Representatives from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Nepal and Vietnam joined Indian officials and researchers to discuss landscape-level conservation, regional cooperation, ecosystem services, climate resilience and nature-based solutions. Its key outcome was an IBCA–ADB MoU on landscape conservation, capacity building, knowledge exchange and nature-positive financing.

GK ByteThe International Big Cat Alliance was launched by India in 2023 and is headquartered in India | NTCA is a statutory body constituted in 2006 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972; Project Tiger was launched in 1973 | The Asian Development Bank was established in 1966 and is headquartered in Manila, Philippines

📅 3 Sept 2026InternationalRead complete →

India and Germany Sign Joint Declaration on Wetland Conservation at 4th IGEF

India and Germany signed a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) on the Conservation and Wise Use of Wetlands of International Importance at the 4th Indo-German Environment Forum (IGEF) in New Delhi, held on the theme *'Together for More Resilience'*. It was signed by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav (MoEFCC) and German Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (BMUKN). The forum was co-organised by MoEFCC and BMUKN with the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA) and FICCI, covering low-carbon industry, biodiversity in wetlands, mountains and forests, resource efficiency, circular economy, sustainable finance, green skills and investment mobilisation. Established in 2008, IGEF is the highest-level India–Germany bilateral forum on environmental policy.

GK ByteThe Ramsar Convention on Wetlands was signed on 2 February 1971 at Ramsar, Iran; World Wetlands Day is 2 February | India has the largest number of Ramsar sites in Asia; MoEFCC is the nodal ministry | Germany: capital Berlin, currency Euro, a federal parliamentary republic headed by a Chancellor

📅 3 Sept 2026InternationalRead complete →

Jitendra Singh Launches 5th Edition of 'Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar 2026'

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Dr. Jitendra Singh, Ministry of Earth Sciences, launched the 5th edition of Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar 2026 (SSSS v5.0) in New Delhi — a week-long ocean conservation campaign running 12–19 September 2026 and culminating on International Coastal Cleanup Day (17 September). He unveiled the campaign website, an ocean conservation pledge platform, campaign videos and the SAGAR PRAHARI mobile application, and launched the first-ever National Ocean Olympiad. Begun in 2022 as a 75-day clean-up across 75 beaches to mark Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the campaign has grown into a Jan Bhagidari movement of beach drives, human chains, cycling rallies and marathons.

GK ByteThe Ministry of Earth Sciences was established in 2006; its MoS (IC) is Dr. Jitendra Singh | International Coastal Cleanup Day is observed on 17 September; World Oceans Day on 8 June | The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai, is an autonomous MoES institute

📅 3 Sept 2026InternationalRead complete →

UNCCD COP17 Concludes in Ulaanbaatar with a USD 1.3 Billion Land Restoration Package

The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification was held at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from 17-28 August 2026 under the theme "Restoring Land. Restoring Hope." Governments, development banks and companies announced a USD 1.3 billion portfolio for land restoration and drought resilience across 23 countries. COP17 launched a new global drought-resilience architecture - Phase-II of the International Drought Resilience Observatory (IDRO), the AI-powered Drought Resilience Index (DRI) and the Drought Resilience Investment Facility (DRIF), which aims to raise up to USD 400 million. Egypt was approved as host of COP18 at Sharm El-Sheikh in 2028.

GK ByteUNCCD was adopted in 1994 and is the only legally binding international agreement linking environment, development and sustainable land management; its secretariat is at Bonn, Germany | UNCCD COP16 was held at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in December 2024 | UNCCD is one of the three Rio Conventions along with the UNFCCC and the Convention on Biological Diversity

📅 2 Sept 2026InternationalRead complete →

See all Environment →All Current Affairs