CURRENT AFFAIRS | 15 APRIL 2026
CLAT GK + ENVIRONMENTAL LAW + CLIMATE POLICY
Delhi is set to become the first Indian capital to generate electricity from floating solar farms installed on lakes, ponds and water bodies, the state government has announced as part of its clean energy push. The project builds on Delhi’s broader plan to triple solar capacity by 2027 and complements the already-announced canal-top solar corridor on the Najafgarh drain, which will generate 30 MW over a 6 km stretch and save nearly 270 million litres of water annually by reducing evaporation.
Floating solar, or “floatovoltaics”, has two environmental advantages over ground-mounted panels: the water cools the panels (increasing efficiency by up to 10 percent) and the panels reduce evaporation, which is critical in water-stressed northern India. The move fits squarely within India’s commitment under its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to reach 500 GW of non-fossil electricity capacity by 2030.
Constitutional & Legal Framework
- Article 48A — DPSP added by the 42nd Amendment (1976); the State shall protect and improve the environment and safeguard forests and wildlife.
- Article 51A(g) — Fundamental Duty to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife.
- Article 21 — Right to Life now includes the right to a clean and healthy environment (Subhash Kumar v. State of Bihar, 1991; M.C. Mehta v. Union of India line of cases).
- Paris Agreement (2015, COP21) — India’s NDC commitments: 500 GW non-fossil capacity and 50 percent cumulative electric power from non-fossil sources by 2030.
- Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 — Govern any construction or alteration on notified wetlands.
- National Solar Mission — Part of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC, 2008).
Why This Matters for CLAT 2027
Environmental law is the second-most-tested CLAT legal reasoning theme after constitutional law. Expect principle-fact questions applying the polluter-pays principle (Indian Council for Enviro-Legal Action, 1996), precautionary principle (Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum, 1996), and public trust doctrine (M.C. Mehta v. Kamal Nath, 1996). Also watch for questions on whether installing solar infrastructure on a wetland triggers prior environmental clearance under the Wetlands Rules 2017 and EIA Notification 2006.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Project | Delhi’s first floating solar farms |
| Location | Lakes, ponds and water bodies across Delhi |
| Related project | Najafgarh Drain 30 MW canal-top solar |
| Water saved | ~270 million litres annually |
| India’s 2030 target | 500 GW non-fossil capacity (NDC) |
| Key Article | Article 48A (DPSP) |
| Landmark case | Subhash Kumar v. State of Bihar (1991) |
| Parent mission | National Solar Mission (under NAPCC 2008) |
Mnemonic to Remember
“48A Directs, 51A(g) Duties, 21 Delivers” — the three pillars of environmental constitutional law. Also: “Polluter Pays + Precautionary + Public Trust” for the trio of MC Mehta principles. And “500 GW by 2030 under NDC” is a guaranteed fact test.
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