Dharali exposes the politics of reckless exploitative model of 'development'.

Need to pose uncomfortable questions to the power

 

Vidya Bhushan Rawat

The avalanche that swept away the entire village of Dharali in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand on August 5th, 2025, has exposed the severely polarised Indian opinion making class apart from the political leadership of various parties which actually behave as if it happened for the first time and wont hit again. There are different sides of this being reported to us.  On the one side is the 'national media' which I have always described as Manustream media, a PR agency of the ruling party at the Centre which exploit the event as a 'Pilpli live' as the live stories of the mass destruction too bring TRPs to these profit mongering companies. The propaganda media these days has always been prioritised over the local ones as they go with all the comfort and state apparatus also take care of them so that they can broadcast the 'breaking news'. The focus is mostly to broadcast live the 'action'. Most of the time, we see JCB machine working or army helicopter transporting the people and then people thanking the government and the officials for providing them 'help'. So, everything is made so overwhelming that nobody has time to ask specific questions to the government. It is definitely good that the government is working over time to provide relief to the people but why is the exact number of people missing or dead is still not known. Why is the government not allowing the local media to cover the event. Why it is gladly providing all the 'services' to the 'national' media. In fact, some of the 'local' media based in Dehradun  too got opportunity to take the video shoot from the top but in this entire exercise, the most important role is being played by what we call 'youtubers' who have largely been ignored but it is they who traversed the hard terrain on foot to bring the unheard stories of the entire area. They walked in treacherous circumstances from Uttarkashi to Dharali and reported. Most of these fellows are not even termed as 'journalists'.  They deserve kudos for their brave efforts to reach Dharali on foot from Uttarkashi particularly when it continued to rain and national high way remained 'national' only for the name sake and had just washed away. These social media reporters or influencers have reported far better than the so called national PR agents who had no time to ask uncomfortable questions. Rather, we are told by every media house as how their reporters were the 'first' to reach 'Dharali'. The only uncomfortable question being posed is that locals have occupied the river bed, built houses and hotels and that is why it happened. Nothing about government policies promoting this rabid mass tourism which resulted in this kind of construction. Who is responsible for authorising them. Will there be any action against the authorities who allowed such construction ? Is there any debate in the government circles about the growing threat of climate crisis and how we need climate friendly solutions. Are they ready to discuss their heavy drilling and excavation of the holy mountains ? And what about our rivers ? Where is the 'developmental dirt' going ? Any idea about the limit of infrastructure for the mass bhakt tourism ? How many tonnes of human excreta and other wastes now flows from the Chardham ? Imagine a fair discussion on those. Nobody deny the religious importance of Uttarakhand and Chardham but that need to be respected. Any planning whether religious or non religious, tourism or developmental must include the issues of local traditions, sentiments as well as the climatic issues. You cant promote mass tourism in the name of religion that disturb the already fragile ecology of the region. We must understand that these zones are not merely have the religious importance but also life line of India. Himalayas feed our rivers and Ganga our heritage that link Himalayas to Sundarbans. That apart, Uttarakhand is a border state and not with one but two countries namely China and Nepal. 

Dharali's tragedy has raised various other  issues too.  And foremost one is the forecasting. Though after the Kedarnath catastrophe in 2013, we heard a lot of noise but nothing much happened except a few warning messages regarding weather but why has it failed to warn people in advance about the possible bursting of Glacial lake or cloud burst.  Why has the authorities not been able to gain the information about the possible Glacial Lake formation in the  upper stretches of the Khirgad. Why have the warning by the scientists not responded positively. Definitely, this lake formation was not a one day affair ? Why cann't this be monitored on a regular basis by take a teaming of experts around the Uttarakhand Himalayas, through specialized army helicopters? The satellite images are important but government too need to do it locally. This incident reminded us that of the Rishiganga-Dhauliganga catastrophe in February 2021 which swept away a power project as well as over 200 labours working in it. 

Actually, Dharali was 'waiting' to happen and it is neither the first one nor the last one which means we have learnt no lesson from it and we will learn nothing. As we build more and more structures without any local framework. Everyone want to have a home stay. Resorts have started in large number. It will come when crores of people are thronging the state for the yatra. The way these yatras have been glamorised would only bring disaster to the Himalayas. 

And we don't discuss the causes and solutions for these. Instead, the so called media as well as others  making a grand spectacle of every event where people report the event like heavy machineries, helicopters being used to ferry people, sniffer dogs, big netas visiting and so on. Some of them even ask the people about what happened and who got lost but not about any assistance to them or what will happen to them. These questions are not asked from the Chief Minister as how will people build their life there. Any plan for rehabilitating the people who lost their everything or will government change its industrial, environmental or other policies regarding the hill regions. That is why the media is put in the service of the master so that these uncomfortable questions remain under the wrap. Uttarakhand disasters are not merely natural but also result of the rackless destructive policies being pursued in the name of development. Is that model sustainable ? Should we not think aloud about protecting and respecting our sacred mountains and rivers. I have said it many time and will continue to say, these mountains and rivers, our Pahad, our Ganga-Gad-Gaderas are our identities and our heritage, definitely not a resource to be exploited.  Stop treading them resources and exploiting it for your commercial greed. 

A few days back, the Supreme Court of India, while hearing a petition, issued a stark warning: “The day is not far when the entire state of Himachal Pradesh may vanish from the map of the country.” The court emphasized the Union of India’s obligation to prevent further ecological imbalance and natural calamities in the state, stating, “Earning revenue is not everything. If things proceed as they are, the consequences will be catastrophic” (Indian Express, August 1^st, 2025). This dire observation underscores the escalating crisis in Himachal Pradesh as well as in Uttarakhand, where unchecked tourism, hydropower projects, and environmental degradation are pushing these Himalayan states toward collapse.

Himachal Pradesh has faced heavy losses due to monsoon-related disasters in 2025. According to the State Emergency Operation Centre, the state incurred damages of ₹1,539 crore since the monsoon began on June 20, 2025. The toll includes 94 deaths, 36 missing, and 1,352 houses fully or partially damaged in rain-related incidents (Indian Express, August 2025). A report by NDTV provides a graver picture, noting 173 deaths, 37 missing, and 115 injuries by August 2, 2025, with 23 flash floods and 19 cloudbursts recorded by July 6, 2025 (NDTV, August 2, 2025). Most deaths were rain-related, with Mandi, Kullu, and Kangra districts bearing the brunt, where 243 roads were blocked, 241 electricity transformers disrupted, and 278 water supply schemes rendered non-functional as per a report published by Times of India, July 7, 2025).

Uttarakhand, often competing with Himachal in disaster frequency, recorded 70 deaths by July 4, 2025, including 20 from natural disasters (landslides, cloudbursts, and floods) and 50 from road accidents, with 9 missing (mostly in Uttarkashi) and 177 injured (Times of India, June 29, 2025). Incidents of cloud burst and landslide continue to pour in in the last couple of weeks resulting in disruption in the Chardham yatra for several days but now Dharali disaster has overtaken everything. It is unprecedented but is a wake up call for all of us. So far we don't know the exact number of the people died or missing.

Unregulated Tourism: A Cultural and Ecological Threat

Both Himalayan states, romanticized as Devbhumi, are reeling under the weight of mass tourism. Uttarakhand welcomed 3.96 crore tourists by July 4, 2025, including 3.94 crore domestic and 1.66 lakh international visitors, with 34.07 lakh pilgrims registered for the Chardham Yatra (13.58 lakh to Kedarnath, 11.52 lakh to Badrinath, 4.97 lakh to Gangotri, 3.99 lakh to Yamunotri) (The Hindu, July 3, 2025; Outlook India, May 16, 2025). Himachal Pradesh recorded 1.4 crore tourists by July 2025, driven by hill stations like Shimla and Manali (Hindustan Times, July 2025). While these numbers boost local economies, they strain fragile ecosystems and infrastructure, exacerbating disaster risks.

The Chardham Yatra, a cornerstone of Uttarakhand’s tourism, has become a symbol of unregulated pilgrimage. By July 2025, 169 pilgrims died due to health issues like cardiac arrest and high blood pressure (78 in Kedarnath, 44 in Badrinath, 24 in Gangotri, 22 in Yamunotri) (Times of India, July 2025). A helicopter crash in April 2025 killed six pilgrims, reflecting the pressure on operators prioritizing profit over safety (The Hindu, July 3, 2025). In Himachal, over-tourism in Kullu-Manali and Shimla has led to traffic congestion and environmental degradation, with tourists littering rivers and flouting local norms (Hindustan Times, June 2025).

As a Pahadi, I see the influx of tourists—often displaying a colonial mindset—threatening our cultural fabric. Young visitors smoke hookahs and drink openly on the banks of the Ganga, while incidents of eve-teasing and disappearances, once rare, are now nightmarish (Deccan Herald, August 2025). The imposition of external cultural practices, including food habits like demanding Maggi, Parathas etc over local delicacies, erodes Pahadi traditions. Some outsiders, backed by political agendas, push a homogenized Hindutva narrative, ignoring the distinct value systems of Himachal and Uttarakhand, where local deities and sustainable practices have long thrived (The Tribune, July 2025). Also it is important to demarcate the religious sentiments from the commercial gains. Actually, last couple of decade, India's ruling elite has exploited religious sentiments for commercial gains. Frankly, india has been converted into a religious economy with flourishing Babas and new places of miracles in the name of devotion and traditions. Himalayan regions are different and you can not treat them with the low line areas where you have huge land track and no issues related to infrastructure development. In the Himalayan regions, these infrastructural development will come at the cost of the Himalayas and their people only. 

Hydropower Projects: Profiting at Nature’s Expense

The Central Government’s push for hydropower, branded as the “potential” of the Himalayas, prioritizes corporate interests over environmental and social costs have been completely exposed now with both the states facing massive disasters though efforts are there to confine the narrative to the 'what happened and when it happened and not why it happened ?  Himachal Pradesh has more than 41 hydropower projects.  A report in Down to Earth Magazine says,

' hydropower projects are being established in high-risk areas of Uttarakhand. These places in the state may fall prey to seismic or climate-related disasters in the coming years. At least 15 such projects with an investment of around Rs 70,000 crore are in high-risk areas of Uttarakhand.

The report by Climate Risk Horizons notes that 81 large hydropower projects of more than 25 MW in Uttarakhand are in the pipeline and 18 projects are in the works. Threats related to extreme climate have created uncertainty over their future.'

(https://www.downtoearth.org.in/dams/extreme-weather-events-can-completely-destroy-hydropower-projects-in-uttarakhand-report)

These projects have destroyed our  rivers as there is no way to keep the muck away from it. Big boulders,stones, concrete everything is silently being thrown into them many times risking the flow of the rivers.  Deforestation, blasting, and sediment disruption  weaken and destabilize the slopes in the high mountains which risk sudden burst resulting in calamities like Dharali.  Have we forgotten what happened in Joshimath where all the structures have faced cracks. The drilling of big mountains for the Hydropower projects is well documented though not much reported now. It seems every one has now forgotten Joshimath. Villagers of Raini had approached the court against threat to their village but no response from the court. In fact, the Uttarakhand High Court even punished the people including the activists with Rupees ten thousand penalty for filing the case. 

Cultural Erosion and “Gujaratification”

The massification of religious tourism has imported lowland practices like Ganga Snan to the Himalayas, where community bathing is rare, and rivers are worshipped, not polluted (The Tribune, July 2025). Loudspeakers, DJs, and drumbeating in Kedarnath disrupt sacred tranquility (The Hindu, July 3, 2025). Cemented structures, mimicking Gujarat’s architectural style, replace Uttarakhand’s unique wooden temples, undermining local craftsmanship and businesses (Deccan Herald, August 2025). The Kanwar Yatra, largely from Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh, further strains Haridwar’s resources, with no roots in hill traditions (Hindustan Times, July 2025). The people including the priests in holy shrines of Badrinath are protesting against the so called master plan which demolished the local shops and houses of the people living there since their birth. Now, the master plan further concretise the region even at the cost of the traditional methods. Why cant we build our structure as per the suitability of the Himalayas which has  traditional Uttarakhandi imprint on it. Is not it an effort to erase our history and traditional system ?

A Call for Sustainable Development

The Supreme Court’s warning demands action. The government’s policies—promoting mass tourism and hydropower for revenue—have fueled this crisis. If the Court is serious, it must regulate tourist inflows, cap pilgrimage numbers, and halt ecologically harmful projects like the Kishau Dam. Sustainable development requires engaging native pahadi communities to preserve local deities, traditions, and ecosystems. The Himalayas are not a colony for exploitation; they are a sacred, fragile region needing protection.

Both Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh need to introspect a lot, develop their own model and stop this import of 'experts' from outside which actually is a threat to the local traditions and cultural practice under the pretext of development that remained exploitative in nature and unsustainable. While, I would not ask for stoppage of all the hydropower projects or existing programme, I would definitely call for a moratorium on any future planning that hurt our rivers and mountains.

Dharali, Manali, Kulu, Mandi, Reni continues to happen not due to the crisis brought by the local Pahadis but definitely the exploitative nature of developmental model being pursued in the Himalayas by the political elite in connivance with the greedy corporate who shamelessly exploit the religious sentiments of the people, for their personal profiteering even if it damage local ecology and environment. Stop this mindless exploitation of the Himalayas. Perhaps, the only way is now to declare the hill regions under the Schedule V or Schedule VI areas to protect the land being sold to outsiders and stop this commercial greed as well as protect the rights of local communities. A climate friendly solution to this crisis is only possible with inclusive engagement with native people of Uttarakhand and completely halt any future project that endanger Himalayas, its rivers and communities which live around and protect it.

Himalaya ki Ganga : Story of Bhojwasa

 This is the story of Bhojwasa located at an altitude of 3,800 meters above the sea level. Bhojwasa is the camp site on the Gangotri Gaumukh trek, just four kilometer before Gaumukh, the source of Bahgirathi. There is no habitat here except for a Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Guest House and Lal Baba Ashram. Facilities remain extremely modest so anyone visiting here must have prior arrangements for the basic needs and food facilities. The passage is out for public after the closure of the Gangotri Dham Temple immediately after Dipwali and again open for public in April.

Ganga : From Rishikesh in Uttarakhand to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh

 

An impending cultural and agrarian crisis in Uttar Pradesh

A Journey of  Ganga from Hardwar to Varanasi

Vidya Bhushan Rawat

 

Hardwar to Garhmukteshwar

 

After the Himalayas, Ganga descend to Rishikesh followed by Hardwar which is an extremely important pilgrim town of Uttarakhand state. It is called city of Lord Shiva and host Kumbha fair once in 12 years in which millions of devotees participate and take a holy dip into the river. The Ghats are ‘Har ki Pairi look stunning and magnificent.  About twenty kilometres from this place, Ganga, at the place called Balawali, enters Uttar Pradesh.

                                           Har kee pairi, Haridwar

First railway bridge on Ganga was built here by the British. The 961 meter long bridge was constructed in 1888 at the cost of Rs 27 lakh 94 thousand rupees[1] linking Laksar to Najibabad, a railway junction in district Bijnaur.  Balawali  is a small village near Laksar town of Hardwar district. The crisis of Ganga start from Hardwar itself where water is diverted to Upper and Lower Ganga canal through Bhimgoda Barrage. The original river which move ahead has lesser water than these canals. The diversion of water to ‘ Har ki Pairi’ ensure heavy flow to respect the religious sentiments of the people. The barrage was originally conceived by the British for the purpose of irrigation through Upper Ganga Canal as well as to control flooding, between 1840-1854 but finally completed in 1983.

                           

                                           

                                          Railway bridge linking Laksar to Najibabad at Balawali, Bijnor district

                                     Ganga at Garhmukteshwar, Hapur

Though Hardwar is part of Uttarakhand state, it is also the ‘door’ of Ganga for the plains of Northern as well as Eastern India. The original river with much reduced water is a pale shadow of the powerful river we see either in Rishikesh or at Har ki Pairi. Rishikesh has become favourite destination for the rafters but the dark fact is water in Ganga is not natural and solely depend on the Tehri dam. At the Lakshman Jhula, the famous suspension bridge is closed as it is undergoing through maintenance work. Once you go to river bank, you find the sudden disappearance of sandy beach which was the hallmark of beautiful banks of river Ganga. Instead, you find Himalayan concrete, stones and big boulders. And the similar situation remain till Ganga crosses the famous Chandighat bridge linking Hardwar with Najibabad by road link. It is also the beginning of the Gangetic plains which used to be extremely fertile once upon a time but today we see vast fertile land turning into desert. At about 45 kilometers from Najibabad town is the famous barrage on Ganga in the Bijnor district.

‘Water quality in mountainous stretch Ganga is very good, with high DO levels Avg. 8.17∓0.4, low EC, TDS and TOC, indicating no significant contamination pollution. When Ganga enters in Uttar Pradesh the first station is Bijnor before this many small rivers and the sub-basins are merge in Ganga. The STPs reduce 61–93 % organic loadings and half of trace contaminants present in the sewage (CPCB-2009). Domestic sewage is the major contributor of pollution in this stretch. The water quality in the stretch is affected from the Rishikesh (Uttarakhand) by domestic, industrial organic and inorganic west and agricultural runoff.’’[2] The same paper actually suggest that water get cleaned due to floods in monsoon.

The bridge on barrage on Ganga near Mirapur-Bijnor eased the journey from Najibabad to Delhi particularly for those who were coming from Uttarakhand’s Garhwal region came into operation in 1984. Bijnor see numerous rivers flowing such as Ramganga, Kho and others. There is a big dam on Ramganga river at a place called Kalagarh but a dark reality is that various dams and barrages are just killing the soul of river Ganga. Unfortunately, the growing ‘artificiality’ of controlling water on various rivers reflect an increasing pattern of addressing the religious ‘sentiments’ and encouraging ‘’tourism’ around these places hence flow of water depend on whether there is some specific period or not. The bridge over barrage basically is the border line between Bijnor and Mujjaffarnaar district. There are plans so start boating and other water sports here in the barrage but the water level in the river reduces drastically. The only time the Ganga look as a river is in monsoon when these barrages are unable to keep the water and the powerful water change its embankment and bring huge amount of sediments. Interestingly, the Gangetic embankment in Hardwar and Rishikesh are full of stones and sediment everywhere as the size of the river reduces drastically. One of the locals explained it to me in Kanpur recently during my Ganga yatra that when the river has enough water it moves fast on its direction but as the water level reduces the size of the river grows extraordinarily. During the monsoon, water enter into the lower areas flooding everywhere and when the monsoon is over and water recedes it create numerous islands, splitting the river most of the time and changing embankment.

A travel from Bijnor to Balawali and Laksar shows how the entire Ganga belt is suffering in extreme heat with polluted air filled with dust and other particles. From Bijnor, the next important places on the bank of the river is Garhmukteshwar which is part of Hapur district. Garh, as it is popularly known as,  is hugely popular pilgrim centre after Hardwar and thousands of people come here to take a dip in the river Ganga on Ganga Dushara day. There is a huge railway bridge over the river apart from the National Highway 8 linking Delhi to Lucknow via Moradabad, Bareilly and Sitapur. There is a temple on the bank of Ganga and bathing ghats. Hundreds of boats waiting for customers. The water level has reduced drastically, says a boatman. Sir, we have lesser customer these days. A boat ride gives us the idea of the crisis as we pass underneath the highway bridge and then move to the other side where pilgrims comes for performing shraddha and other rituals unmindful of the crisis the river is facing.

Garh falls under Hastinapur sanctuary spread over five districts of Bijnor, Mujaffarnagar, Meerut, Hapur and Amroha. 2073 square kilometre sanctuary is now reduced to 1095 square kilometer as vast land was needed for railways and national highway projects.[3]

Ramganga-Ganga Sangam Hardoi

The next big place where Ganga is strengthened by various tributaries is district Hardoi where Ramganga flows into it in  a place called Teraghat or Terapursoli near Sandi Shahbajpur in Tehsil Devkali. A visit to the sangam was extremely difficult. A three hours drive from Kanpur to Kannauj and then nearly five kilometres from the Bridge over Ganga that serves as boundary between Hardoi and Kannauj. The irony is that there is not much understanding about Sangam and the possible reason for the same seems to be the changing embankment of Ganga particularly during the monsoon floods. Thousands of hectares of land get inundated as the flooded rivers explore new areas brining enormous sediments and therefore creating a huge agrarian crisis. Desertification of the fertile land is the biggest challenge but seems to be ignored by the policy planners. At the point zero there is a debate among two fisherfolks whether this is Sangam or not because all the rivers are split and their various streams meets at different points but from here till the big bridge, various small rivers to get discharged at the Ganga.

At the confluence area, I see an ‘island’ working as divider between Ganga and Ramganga with a small stream from Ganga passing into Ramganga while the main river moving further to meet again a few hundred meters away. Ramganga looks shockingly short of water which is around your knee. Initially, I thought of asking for a boat who could take us across the river but a local farmer who had just joined in, assures me that we could just cross over the river without any problem. I was still hesitant but with the help of this farmer I crossed over to see the confluence. A local person said this was the first confluence followed by second a few hundred meters away when the entire Ramganga flows into it.

                                           Ramganga-Ganga confluence at Hardoi

                                           Ramganga at Hardoi

                                     Growing desertification : Ganga-Ramganga confluence Hardoi

As I walk back to cross the river, a herd of buffaloes walk through the river. It is scorching heat and temperature above 40 degree Celsius, the river provide shelter to these innocent cattle. The entire fertile land has become desert and the villagers are bringing their cattle for grazing though there is not much grass and the animals are just moving around and cooling in the river.  A couple of farmers are sitting and watching their cattle. One of the young farmers accompanying me here informs me that ‘ab kheti khatm kewal reti hai’ i.e. There is no agriculture now. It is just sand mining and it reflect the growing reality of how farmers and fisherfolks are now depending more and more on sand mining.        In the scorching heat, you wont even get a glass of water but thankfully the farmer got me a’tarbuz’ i.e. watermelon and a musk melon from his land nearby.

‘Desertification of arable land is the biggest challenge that Gangetic plains are witnessing. ‘As per the Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of India, prepared by the Space Applications Centre for the period 2011-2013, 96.4 million hectares i.e. 29.32% of the Total Geographical Area of the country is undergoing the process of desertification/land degradation. Approximately 6.35% of land in Uttar Pradesh is undergoing desertification/degradation.’[4]

Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Khir, Sitapur, Bahraich, Barabanki, Ayodhya, Gonda, Basti, Azamgarh, Deoria, Balia, Gorakhpur districts face huge crisis of desertification. Every year, these districts suffer a lot because of huge flood in various rivers including Ganga, Ghaghara, Sarda, Rapti rivers which bring enormous silt and change their embankment.

Around seven small rivers including Ramganga merge into Ganga at Hardoi-Kannoj border but a look from the motor bridge show the water level is reduced and river split at different places with increasing sand beds on both the sides. Many tiny islands’ have been created due to this. Kannauj is around 10 kilometer from this bridge, a historical city of Harshvardhana period and later Jaichand was the most outstanding ruler of Kannauj but distortion of history ensured that the legacies of the great king are erased forgotten by the locals though when I asked a farmer on the Sangam area, who happened to be a Rajput, informed me that his community never considered kin Jaichand a villain and they remember him with great respect. Unfortunately, there are no signs of any memorial or historical places in his memory or that of Harshvardhana. There are however several Dargahs and mosques of 13^th-14^th centuries, during the period of Shahjahan.

 

The crisis at Kanpur

Kanpur Kannauj National Highway has reduced the time distance and linked these cities closely. At about 70 kilometers distance is a pilgrim town Bithoor. It is also a historical town related to 1857 war of independence. A memorial has been built here as a homage to Nana Saheb Peshwa s/o Bajirao Peshwa II, who made this place is headquarter. There are numerous ancient temples and ashrams here. For people of Kanpur, Bithoor is becoming a tourist spot and the reason for this is beautiful location on the right side of Ganga which look stunningly beautiful here. Unlike Kanpur, the Ganges look a complete river here and people come here for boating. The ghats too are relatively clean here. The reason for the water level better here is the barrage which is built on Ganga and control water for Kanpur city is just five kilometer from here. Immediately after the barrage, Atal Ghat is now the most sought after ‘picnic’ space at the Kanpur city. The project was developed under the Namami Gange schemes of the government of India and is relatively clean. Slogans are written on the board like ‘don’t throw garbage in Ganga’ or Watching Ganga itself is like bathing in it. The Ganga view here is beautiful and cross the river is Unnao district. Actually, Ganga forms the boundary between Kanpur and Unnao districts. About 50 meters adjacent to Attal Park is the infamous Permiya Nullah (Permiya drainage) flowing into the Ganga which is shocking as this ghat is developed beautifully and lots of slogans related to Gana cleanliness are written all over. Namami Gange project was publicised highly yet the Ganga water remain not only unfit for drinking but even for bathing. Water is contaminated and even the Central Pollution Control Board, Kanpur could not find fish in the river. Ganga water has dried up and frankly it is the sewage water which is flowing uncontrolled in the river. There are several important ghats and ‘drainage’ that flows into Ganga. Ranighat nullah, Seesamau Nullah near Bhaironghat, Guptarghat Nullah near Bhagwat Ghat. Most of these ghats are basically cremation ghats where all the filth, garbage is thrown in the river Ganga.

    

                                            Ganga at Bithoor

At Bhaironghat, I walked into the crematorium and then at the Ganges where river bank is simply flooded with thrown away items, flowers and other items for performing rituals. The water is definitely not worth touching but ‘holy’ ‘devotees’ still go and sprinkle the water over them. A couple of Boats used by the local fishing communities can be seen in the river. ‘Namami Gange’ is ‘loudly’ written all around. Just below it a huge cemented structure is visible which look like a gigantic river conflating with Ganga. It is Seesamau Nullah which was draining into the holy river. Sadly, a few years back, the story of this Nullah being closed and Ganga water being pollution free in Kanpur, was celebrated in various channel. ‘Now, it is reported that between May 25^th till May 30^th, about  40 crore liters of untreated sewage discharged into Gana at Seesamau drainage alone. A report in Hindi daily Hindustan informs that the Jal Nigam in Kanpur has imposed a fine of Rs 17 crore on Kanpur River Management Ltd. for its failure to control sewage drainage flowing into river Ganga. An FIR has also been registered against the company in the Gwal Toli police station.’[5] It is sad that the crisis in the Ganges is aggravating despite spending crores of rupees in the name of ‘Save Ganga’ or ‘Clean Ganga’ operations,

                                           Drainage flowing into Ganga near Atal Ghat, Kanpur

                                           

                                           Ganga passing through Kanpur

Kanpur is the biggest city of Uttar Pradesh and is home to over ‘402 listed tanneries though only 215 small and big are operational now.’[6] Unfortunately, the leather industry has lost in Kanpur not because of the ‘stringent’ environmental laws but ‘unavailability’ of raw material due to strict anti-cow slaughter laws. The sad part is that Kanpur’s industrial losses have not really helped resolve the crisis that Ganga is facing in the city.

The Ganga look dried as big islands are created and river split at many places with absolutely dirty embankment where not merely sewage drainage are discharging but other filthy stuff, rotten flowers and other items meant for performing various rituals. The historic railway bridge on Ganges between Kanpur and Unnao on Delhi-Kanpur-Lucknow line actually started on July 15^th,1875. The drains and sewage system continue to pollute the holy river. Many  reports and studies have red flagged the contamination of the Ganga water.

‘’The investigation conducted by the CPCB, led by Ajit Vidyarthi, Director and Department Head of Water Quality Management, spanned over three sampling dates - July 10, July 24, and August 22. The report reveals that a significant portion of the Ganga, stretching from Bithoor to Fatehpur in Kanpur, is now severely polluted, raising grave concerns among the residents and environmentalists.’’

Ganga and Yamuna at Fatehpur

[7]Interestingly, the river Ganga move towards Fatehpur, a very historic town represented by former prime minister V P Singh in 1989. A rural dominated constituency, Fatehpur has the distinction of both Ganga and Yamuna passing through it apart from Prayagraj where both the rivers reach and conflate after leaving Fatehpur. Other interesting point is that Ganga forms boundary of Unnao and Fatehpur too.

Bhitaura is located at about 15 kilometers from Fatehpur where river Ganga pass through. Across the river is district Unnao and Raibareilley is a few kilometers away on the same route. Bhitaura is mythologically an important place and number of pilgrims come here to take a dip in the river. Bhitaura is related to sage Bhrigu and a few ancient temples and ashrams are located nearby. At the Om ghat a number of pilgrims and tourists visit here and take a dip in the river. This area is also considered to be home of Dolphins too.  Forest department has taken up the initiative in this regard to promote eco-tourism though we could not site any dolphin when visited the place. However, till a years ago siting Dolphin was a frequent thing which even researchers admitted.

“

‘Nearly 35 km of stretch from Bhitora in Fatehpur has emerged as the region's most congenial habitat for endangered Gangetic dolphins. The first ever headcount operation through sonar monitoring systems and camera-fitted balloons of the aquatic animals conducted recently, has come out with sighting of 19 dolphins.’ [8]

 

Though the Ganga ghats were relatively clean in Fatehpur, the district real crisis is with river Yamuna which suffer from heavy sand mining at the Chilla border which link Fatehpur to Banda. The roads are bumpy and risky due to heavy trucks carrying sand from the river bed. The air is polluted with sand particles being part of it.

 

The mega sangam at Prayagraj

 

Ganga looks enchanting when it has water and evening sun set time provide you stunning view of the river. It now move towards Prayagraj for the mega confluence with Yamuna at the historic ‘Sangam’ which is called ‘Triveni’ as apart from Ganga and Yamuna, the mythological legend is that river Saraswati too merge here. Thousands of devotees from different parts of the country visit this place, perform various religious rituals and take a dip at Triveni. Prayagraj, popularly known as Allahabad host Kumbha fair every 12 year. Allahabad was one of the most important center of India’s freedom movement and was the political constituency of our first prime minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and later Mr V P Singh. Allahabad’s famous fort built by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1583 at the Sangam by the side of Yamuna.

                                         Manda Fort of former PM V P Singh

A painting at Valmiki Ashram, Sitamarhi, Bhadohi

                                    Ganga moving towards Vindhyanchal

While the faith in religious rituals has grown tremendously but the consciousness regarding protecting our rivers and environment is still revolved around empty slogans. It is good to see urban landscape is being planned in the form of parks and green corridors at many places yet focus on too much of ‘cemented and concrete structure need to be discouraged and environment friendly traditional methods need to be promoted. The water level in the city is reducing dangerously.

‘A state government report states that water consumption in urban and rural sectors is about 1.4 million acre feet (maf) and 2.1 (maf) respectively. The projected requirements are about 2.6 maf and 3.7 maf for the urban and rural population. The ground water level is receding. Jal Sansthan is supplying 210 million litre per day (mld), while there is a requirement of 300 mld water. The first strata of underground water level has almost disappeared, while the second layer which controls the ground is being bored for installation of hand pumps. Around 50 multi-stories buildings and complexes have been constructed in the heart of the city in the past five years. But no buildings have provisions of recharging the ground water.’[9] Nearly, twenty year after this, we are still struggling for safe drinking water in the holy river though the Uttar Pradesh pollution Control Board report in Jaunary 2023 suggest that ‘water at Sangam is not worth drinking yet it is absolutely fit for bath’[10].

The fact is that if you roam around Sangam area during winter, a lawyer of white fog covers the entire area which has become heavily polluted due to various reasons including  sand on the river bed as well as heavy vehicular pollution. The surroundings of Sangam area have spread due to monsoon floods but it has now become a huge ‘maidan’ for organizing the Kumbha fair. Unfortunately, the focus is more on organizing religious events and not really to ensure that the river is free from contamination.

One of the major reasons for Sangam water better than Kanpur is water that Yamuna river carry along with it. As we have seen Yamuna from Delhi till Etawah in Uttar Pradesh after passing through twin cities of Mathura and Agra, remain highly polluted river because of continuous discharge of untreated sewage and Industrial wastes into it. At Etawah, Yamuna meet Chambal river which is perhaps two time bigger than it and a beautiful river cleans Yamuna water. Two more rivers Ken and Betwa at Hamirpur and Banda further enhance the water quality as well as quantity at the Yamuna. By the time, Yamuna reach Prayagraj, it is much bigger and unpolluted than Ganga. Yamuna’s journey ends at Prayag but it gives Ganga, the water to maintain her aura and spirituality.

 

Towards Varanasi

 

The onward journey of Ganga after Yamuna merge into it is equally fascinating. It is basically a journey where spiritual pilgrims can satisfy themselves. At about 50 kilometers is Sita Samahita Sthal on the bank of Ganges and the legend is that Mother Sita gave birth to her two sons Lav and Kush at the Maharshi Valmiki Ashram. There is a temple devoted to Lord Shiva here. Ganga is cool and calm here. About 20 kilometers from here is the famous Manda Fort, home of former Prime Minister VP Singh who belonged to Gaharwar Rajput clan. At nearly 30 kilometers away is Vindhyachal in district Mirzapur. Thousands of devotees visit Vindhyachal to seek blessings from Maa Vindhyavasini, one of the Shaktipeeth’s in India. There are several important religious places here and Ganga water is relatively clean.

Another important place on the bank of Ganga is the historic fort at Chunar which provide a stunning view of the holy river. The river then moves further and look beautiful in moonlight at many locations. Varanasi is an ancient city and millions of pilgrims and tourists visit here every year to visit numerous temples including Kashi Viswanath as well as watch the arti at the Ganges. Two rivers Varuna and Assi dries into Ganga in Varanasi. Though the water at Varanasi is still contaminated and not worth drinking, it is fact that it magnifies the spiritual beauty of Kashi. A walk on the Ghats in the morning is a treat if one is able to be there before the sun rise. On any sunny day, the atmosphere around these ghats satisfy our mental wellness. There are lots of cultural activities around it. The sadhus, spiritualists, musicians, devotees, all throng the ghats in the morning. Faith is much more powerful than reasoning and hence people are not only ready to take a dip but also sip a few drips.

 

The Maha Arati at the night remain a powerful instrument where people link themselves with the Lord of the Lords, Lord Shiva. Varanasi is the city of Lord Shiva and hence a trip around various ghats give you different notions about life and death. It is an amazing feeling once you are witnessing the entire process particularly when you pass through the Harishchandra Ghat and Dashashmegh ghat where funeral pyres burnt all through day and night. A few moments near it and one can understand the whole process of life, death and meaning of life.

 

Chunar Fort 

                                                                Historic stupa at Sarnath

                                                                Sarnath

While the ghats are lively in Varanasi yet the water is reduced and the quality remain questionable. A study conducted by

 

‘The findings of the present study revealed that the concentration of physicochemical parameters in the water of the River Ganga was higher downstream than it was upstream, indicating that River Ganga at Varanasi is negatively impacted by activities such as discharge of domestic sewage, open drain, and agricultural and industrial effluents because of extensive urbanization. The water quality of Ganga was degraded to the level that it was unsafe for bathing. [11]The Ganga River in Varanasi is severely polluted because of the discharge of polluted water through various sources, resulting in poor water quality that is unsuitable for human consumption, including drinking and bathing at most of the ghats’.

The boatman who took me to various ghats was never amused by my points of pollution in the river. ‘Ganga maiya ka paani kabhi kharab nahi hota’, and he just put one hand into the river and took the water chanting  ‘Ganga maiyaa ki jai’.

Varanasi has been an abode of diverse ideologies living together. It is considered to be city of Lord Shiva. The Brahmanical rituals and value system flourished here. Various saints came here to liberate themselves. Interestingly, Saint Raidas who challenged superstition and caste-based hierarchy, was born in Kashi. Raidas spoke of Begumpura, a truly socialist society based on equality of human being. ‘man changa to kathauti me Ganga’ which roughly translate as if your heart is clean and good then you can see Ganga in a bucket.’ Another legend from Kashi is Saint Kabir who challenged the superstition and culture of caste system. When people would come to Varanasi at the fag end of their lives, Kabir actually broke that myth and went to Magahar where dying was considered a sin. Varanasi is also known to the world over for its great Buddhist heritage. ‘Sarnath is revered as the place where the Buddha delivered his first sermon, known as the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, after attaining enlightenment. It's one of the four most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the world.’[12] Thousands of Buddhists as well as those who are influenced by the Buddhist philosophy, travel to Sarnath to see the beautiful stupa and historical site.

About 30 kilometer away from Varanasi city towards Ghazipur, river Gomti merges into Ganga at a village named Kaithi where an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, known as Markandeya Mahadev Mandir is situated on the confluence of these holy rivers. It’s a beautiful site and hundreds of birds can be seen here particularly during the winters. This place has also become a tourist hub for Dolphin watchers.  ‘“As per a survey by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), there were 21 dolphins in Ganga stretch of Varanasi. Now, as per an assessment, dolphins have increased at the Ganga-Gomti confluence point and there should be 35 to 39 dolphins here at present.”[13]

                                            Gomti-Ganga confluence, Kaithi, Varanasi

Gomti-Ganga Confluence

                                            

    

                                            Ganga Arti, Varanasi

 

Ganga continues to move ahead embracing all the smaller or bigger rivers in it and giving people life. After Varanasi, Ganga passes through Ghazipur and Balia district of Uttar Pradesh and make its entry in Bihar through district Buxar.

 

 

Lord Cornwallis Tomb, Ghazipur

Ravidas Mandir, Varanasi

                                      Varuna-Ganga confluence in Varanasi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      

 

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[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balawali

[2] Hydrobiological characteristics of Ganga  River at Barrage Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, India Gajendra Kumar1, Shoma Devi2 and Sunil Kumar3,* 1Department of Chemistry, FoE, Teerthanker Mahaveer University, Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh), India 2Department of Zoology, Krishna College of Science and IT, Bijnor (Uttar Pradesh), India 3Department of Zoology, DAV (P.G.) College, Dehradun (Uttarakhand), India

https://www.aesacademy.org/books/bdcp-vol-1/BDCP-2021-022.pdf

 

[3] Hindustan : Garhmukteswar me National Highway 9, Railwaymarg sanctuary kshetr se bahar, May 27^th, 2024, https://www.livehindustan.com/uttar-pradesh/hapur/story-national-highway-9-railway-outside-sanctuary-area-in-garhmukteshwar-10091479.html

[4] Conversion of Barren Land into Arable Land, Press Information Bureau, March 20^th, 2020 https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1607339#:~:text=Approximately%206.35%25%20of%20land%20in,Pradesh%20is%20undergoing%20desertification%2Fdegradation.

[5] An investigative report published in Hindi daily ‘Hindustan’ on May 31^st, 2024 under title ‘, 17 crore jurmane ke baad bhi gir rahaa seesamau nala (Even after imposition of 17 crore rupees penalty, the seesamau sewage continue to drain in the river Ganga’.

[6] Death of an Industry : Why are tanners looking byond Kanpur, by Haider Naqvi, The Hindustan Ttimes July 18,2023,

 https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/famed-leather-industry-in-kanpur-faces-biggest-slump-tanners-moving-to-west-bengal-and-bangladesh-to-stay-afloat-101689616346558.html

[7] Kanpur: Ganga river faces severe contamination, The Millennium Post, November 1, 2023

https://www.millenniumpost.in/nation/kanpur-ganga-river-faces-severe-contamination-538777

 

[8]  Census sights 19 dolphins on Ganga Stretch in Fatehpur,  by Faiz Siddiqui, Times of India, December 14th, 2016

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/census-sights-19-dolphins-on-ganga-stretch-in-fatehpur/articleshow/55968381.cms#:~:text=%E2%80%9CNearly%2035%20km%20of%20stretch,with%20sighting%20of%2019%20dolphins.

[9] Allahabad : Shortage at Sangam , a report by PTI  and  HT, June 24, 2003, The Hindustan Times https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/allahabad-shortage-at-sangam/story-0HQCbE70XMKh2B0lW0xcYI.html

[10] Ganga water fit for bathing only in Prayagraj : UPPCB, Times of India, March 15^th, 2023

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/allahabad/ganga-water-fit-for-bathing-only-in-prayagraj-uppcb/articleshow/98646242.cms

[11] Assessing the water quality of River Ganga in Varanasi, India, through WQI, NPI, and multivariate techniques: a comprehensive study by Gurudutta Singh, Supriya Chaudhary, Deepak Gupta, Virendra Mishra, Institute for Environment and Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu University.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/378476312_Assessing_the_water_quality_of_River_Ganga_in_Varanasi_India_through_WQI_NPI_and_multivariate_techniques_a_comprehensive_study

 

[12] https://www.irctcbuddhisttrain.com/sarnath-buddha-temple#:~:text=Sarnath%20is%20revered%20as%20the,pilgrimage%20sites%20in%20the%20world.

[13] Dolphins thrive at Ganga Gomti confluence in Varanasi, The Hindustan Times, January 18, 2022

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/others/dolphins-thrive-at-ganga-gomti-confluence-in-varanasi-101642446221944.html