GOD IS GREAT
INTRODUCTION:
Ganges is the greatest river of Indian subcontinent. The river bears
several ancient sentiments, mythologies, heritages and antiquities. Ganges is
the longest river of our country. It has lots of geographical as well as
ecological, religious and spiritual importance. The river Ganges is said to be
most sacred river of our country just like the Amazon (6590 km) in the Latin
America.
Ganges has been greatly exalted in Hindu mythology. The name of Ganges
has been mentioned in great epics of Hinduism viz. Ramayana, Mahabharata, and
most cordially in Vedas. Ganges is such a river where if anyone takes bath then
all the sins abolished, committed by the person, is the general belief. Ganges
has different names according to the Sanskrit mythology. Another famous name of
Ganges is Bhagirathi and. Mythology says that Ganges was taken to the heaven to
soothe the gods of heaven by her cool water. After several thousands of years
Ganges was brought to the earth and mythology also says that the Ganges was captured
by Lord Shiva in his head. The name of Ganges appears to be from Rig Veda. Broadly
speaking the Ganges has several mythologies with her and that is why it is most
important river of India in terms of religious importance besides other
importance. The myths about the Ganges date back 3000 - 4000 B.C. from the very
ancient time the Ganges is at the centre of all ritual, spiritual and religious
importance. From time immemorial till today we can’t think any important
religious, spiritual and ritual practice without Ganges. There “awe” comes from the deep of the heart,
soul and our sentiment, which speak many things non-verbally. We can’t resist
those feelings at all. That mighty river imprints millions if it’s reflections
over us that we carry in our soul for years, thus the Ganges remains alive
through this.
MAP OF GANGES:
Here the yellow line indicates the Ganges from source to mouth. (Map is
not to scale); source: gits4u.com
The
Ganges has extensive plain area covering roughly 860000 sq km, including Uttar
Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. But Ganges plain area further extends to Madhya
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. Thus the most extensive plain of Ganges
has been formed. Ganges lushes 1000000 sq km area of China.
In
this map the main Ganges along with her all right and left bank tributaries are
given. Main left bank tributaries of Ganges are Yamuna, Chambal, Betwa and Son.
Right bank tributaries are Kosi, Gandak, Gharghara etc, the distributary of
Ganges is Hugli.
Ganges Basin (not to scale)
The above map is of Ganges basin.
LOCATION:
Ganges is located in the northern part of Indian Subcontinent. Ganges
has also latitudinal and longitudinal extension. It is situated between the
latitude of 77°E to 90°E and from 21°15’N to 28°15’N. The river mainly flows
through UP, Bihar and West Bengal. But its basin occupies lots of other states’
areas viz. Uttaranchal, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.
Ganges: map not to scale.
Ganges has an important location, as it affords the highest
concentration of population. Now the approximate population of the basin of
Ganges is some 450 million. Where in Uttar Pradesh the population is 172
million, in Bihar it is 80 million, in West Bengal it is 90 million.
ATTRIBUTES: Table no.1
FACTS
|
ANSWERS
|
Source
|
Gangotri
glacier
|
Length
|
2510 km
|
Width
|
Average
1 to 3 km
|
Depth
|
Average 30 – 60 m
|
Channel pattern
|
Dendritic
|
Elevation
|
3892 m
|
No of tributaries
|
8
|
Sinuosity
|
Ranges from 1 to
1.5
|
Channel type
|
Straight,
meandering and braided
|
Discharge
|
72000 m³/seconds
|
Basin area
|
861000
sq km.
|
Delta
|
Sunderban region of
West Bengal
|
Water temperature
|
From
3°c to 21°c
|
States dominated by
|
Mainly UP, Bihar
and West Bengal
|
HISTORY:
History of Ganges dates back to more than 500000 years. But the
mythologies started coming into existence from some 6000 – 7000 BC. Ganges is
worshipped as goddess of river in India. In Mahabharata Ganges is wife of raja Santanu and the mother of Vhishma Pitamaah. She left Bhishma and went to the
heaven. There she stayed for several thousand years and then she was brought by
Bhagiratha in the earth. But her force was so fast and furious that Lord Shiva
took her into his hairs and then by the request of Bhagiratha Shiva released
Ganges from his hair and thus Ganges got her another name Bhagirathi. Ganges is
considered as sacred in Hinduism. Today Ganges has several tributaries which
were at distant past were tributaries of Indus river viz. Yamuna, betwa,
chambal etc. this has happened due to river capture. Mythology says that Ganges
existed even before the formation of The Himalayas. Several super ancient
fossils have been discovered in different parts of the Ganges in its course
from source to mouth. According to some archaeologists Ganges had a deep relation
with the mighty Indobrahma River which was supposed to be existed some 90
million years ago along with another mighty river the Tibetan river which lied
along the CCA (Central Crystalline Axis). Today both Indobrahma and Tibetan
river have been lost. Indobrahma River was the remnant of the Tethys Sea.
Ganges was highly affected by the imprints marked by these two mighty rivers.
These rivers both were longer, wider and deeper than Ganges. The Brahmaputra
River carries some reflection of ancient Indobrahma River. Ganges is also
deeply interrelated with Brahmaputra River now. As Ganges is supposed to be
elder than Himalayas, Ganges washes 1000000 sq km area of mighty China.
Ganges; Rishikesh
Here Ganges takes meandering course and here the under current is very
dangerous. This is an overview of Rishikesh town.
SOURCE
OF THE RIVER AND ITS COURSE:
The Ganges is the longest river of India. In the Uttaranchal
Himalayas where glacial water flowing from a cave at Gaumukh, is the origin of
the Bhagirathi River. Gaumukh has been described as a desolate place at an
altitude of about 4,000 meters (13,000 feet). 23 km from Gaumukh, the river
reaches Gangotri, the first town on its path. Thousands of visitors come to
Gangotri each year, from every part of the world. Gangotri situated at a height
of more than 10,000 feet in Uttarkashi district, is one of the four shrines of
Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri commonly called Chardham. So far nearly
3.5 lakh tourists have visited the shrine this year 2010. The shrine, dedicated
to Goddess Ganges, is closed in October-November every year as the area remains
snow-bound during the winters. The idol of Ganges is kept in nearby Mukhba
village for worship during the period. The shrine reopens for pilgrims in
April-May next year.
The river joins Alaknanda River at Devprayag, also in the Uttaranchal
Himalayas, to form the Ganges. The Ganges then flows through the Himalayan
valleys and emerges into the north Indian plain at the town of Hardwar.
In this recently taken snap of Bhagirathi is has been assessed that
Bhagirathi has already dried up for 8 km.
GANGES
BASIN:
The
profile of the Ganges Basin, based on the available information from various
agencies presents the salient features of the basin and the river with regard
to the catchment, hydrology, tributaries, water uses, environmental features
such as river water quality, aquatic and terrestrial flora / fauna, natural
resources, ecological characteristics, sensitive environmental components and
other features such as land use, settlements, major activities, industrial
activities, etc.
India
is drained by more than 12 major river systems (basins) with a catchment area
of more than 2,500,000 Sq km. These river systems are grouped into four broad
categories: the Himalayan Rivers, the Peninsular Rivers, the Coastal Rivers and
the Inland Rivers. In addition to the Ganges, the Himalayan river system
includes the Indus and Brahmaputra river basins.
The
Ganges River (about 2515 km long) is fed by runoff from a vast land area
bounded by the snow peaks of the Himalaya in the north and the peninsular
highlands and the Vindhya Range in the south. The basin encompasses an area of
more than a million sq km (1,186,000 Sq km) spread over four countries: India,
Nepal, Bangladesh and China. With 861,404 Sq km within India itself, the Ganges
basin is the largest river basin in India and covers approximately 25 per cent
of India‘s total geographical area. The Ganges River flows through the five
states of Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. The
extent of the entire Ganges basin is, however, spread over six more states
(Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan)
in addition to the aforementioned five. In the entire basin, Uttar Pradesh and
Uttaranchal together share the maximum basin area of 34%, followed by Madhya
Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.
This is an overall view of Ganges
basin.
A state wise distribution of the catchment area of Ganges given below in
table no. 2
No
|
Name of states
|
Total area (sq km)
|
% of total area
|
1
|
Uttar
Pradesh & Uttaranchal
|
294364
|
34.2
|
2
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
198962
|
23.1
|
3
|
Bihar
& Jharkhand
|
143961
|
16.7
|
4
|
West Bengal
|
71485
|
8.3
|
5
|
Rajasthan
|
112490
|
13.1
|
6
|
Haryana
|
34341
|
4
|
7
|
Himachal
Pradesh
|
4317
|
.5
|
8
|
New Delhi
|
1484
|
.2
|
|
Ganges
basin area
|
861404
|
100.0
|
(Source: Status paper on river
Ganges, NRCD, MOEF, 2009)
Previous: Gangotri; Above:
Debaprayag, confluence of Bhagirathi and Alaknanda.
After running some 250 kilometres from its source, the Ganges
pierces through the Himalayas at Sukhi, before turning south westwards for
another 30 km where it finally descends into the vast Ganges plain at Hardwar
(elevation 283m). At this point, the river swells into a mighty stream of 750
metres width.
Apart from its sacred significance, water from the Ganges is
widely used for domestic and industrial purposes in towns and villages located
on its course. The other major use of Ganges water is for irrigation. At
Hardwar, where the Ganges opens to the Ganges Plains, a barrage diverts a large
quantity of its waters into the Upper Ganges Canal, to provide water for
irrigation. At Bijnore, another barrage diverts water into the Madhya Ganges
Canal but only during monsoon months. The Ganges does not receive any major
tributary until the Ramganga joins at Kannauj adding some 17.79 billion
cum/annum of water. At Allahabad (1020 km from the source), the Ganges is
joined on the right by the River Yamuna, which actually contributes more water
(57.24 billion cum / annum) than the main river itself, augmenting the flow
volume of the Ganges significantly.
After Allahabad, the Ganges begins to receive several major
tributaries at more frequent intervals, namely, the Tons, Son, Gomati,
Ghaghara, Gandak and Kosi. After Rajmahal, the Ganges eventually reaches the
head of its delta at Farakka, in the state of Jharkhand, having increased its
flow volume at each confluence. In addition to flow volume, water quality and
sediment load also fluctuate depending on the composition of the contributing
stream.
Below Farakka, the Ganges bifurcates into the Padma and the
original channel of the Ganges, known as the Bhagirathi. Therefore, the Bhagirathi
is treated as the main Ganges for all purposes in West Bengal. The Padma, carrying
the majority of Ganges’s flow, eventually turns south eastwards into
Bangladesh, while the Bhagirathi (Ganges) winds southwards down the deltaic
plain of West Bengal and ultimately empties into the Bay of Bengal under the
name of Hugli.
Images: Hardwar at different times of the year.
STREAM
FLOW AND CHARACTERISTICS:
The Ganges has a
strong erosive power. The geological fact that the Himalayan Rivers run through
poorly consolidated sedimentary rocks affected by folds and faults results in
high rates of erosion and silt deposition. Rainfall, subsurface flows and snow
melt from glaciers are the main sources of water in river Ganges. More than 60
per cent of the water flowing into the Ganges basin comes from the Himalayan
streams joining the Ganges from the north. The Peninsular streams combine to
contribute only 40 percent of the water, despite the fact that the catchment
area of the Peninsula streams extends well over 60 percent of the entire Ganges
basin.
The tributaries which contribute the largest amount of
water per annum are, the Ghaghara including Gomti river (113.5 billion cum),
Gandak (58.96 billion cum), Yamuna (57.2 billion cum), East of son (44.14
billion cum), the Chambal (32.55 billion cum). A lack of water in streams and
tributaries (other than major tributaries) increases their susceptibility to
water pollution. Therefore, the Ganges’s minor tributaries are pollution prone,
especially as their flows diminish during the dry season. As the main river‘s
flow rate fluctuates, its susceptibility to pollution varies accordingly. Based
on stream characteristics, the entire 2,525 km course of the Ganges can be
divided into the following major five sections: 1. Mountainous, 2. upper plain,
3. middle plain, 4. deltaic non-tidal and, 5. deltaic tidal plain. The stream
characteristics of the river Ganges, from its source to its outfall in the Bay
of Bengal, are given in Table 3 as follows:
Serial no
|
Stretch
|
Section
|
Length (km)
|
Mean slope of land
|
Mean annual rate of flow (cum/second)
|
1.
|
Source
to Rishikesh
|
Mountain
|
250
|
1
in 67
|
850
|
2.
|
Rishikesh to
Allahabad
|
Upper Plain
|
770
|
1 in 4100
|
850-1700
|
3.
|
Allahabad
to Frarkka
|
Middle
Plain
|
1006
|
1
in 13800
|
4000-
10200
|
4.
|
Farakka to Nabadwip
|
Deltaic non tidal
plain
|
240
|
1 in 23000
|
1000- 1300
|
5.
|
Nabadwip
to Outfall
|
Deltaic
tidal plain
|
230
|
1
in 24000
|
Variable
due to tides
|
(Source: Central
water Commission)
The mountainous section stretches from the
river‘s source to Rishikesh. This section has an average bed slope of 1 in 67
and a mean flow rate of 850 cubic metres per second at Rishikesh. The
subsequent upper plain section extends from Rishikesh downstream until
Allahabad at a slope of 1 in 4,100 and a mean flow rate ranging between 850 and
1,720 cum per second before its confluence with the Yamuna. The third, middle
plain section stretches from Allahabad to Farakka, with a slope of 1 in 13,800
and an increase in the mean flow rate to 10,200 cum per second at Azamabad.
This part is the upper deltaic non-tidal plain section, with a slope of 1 in
23,000 and a much reduced mean flow rate of 1,300 cum per second near Nabadwip.
The final segment is the lower deltaic tidal plain section, with a slope of 1
in 24,000 and varying flows due to influence of the tides.
The large volume and high flow of the Ganges
in the middle plain section (1,006 km) between Allahabad and Farakka render
this stretch relatively less vulnerable to pollution, compared to the sections
on the upstream of Allahabad and downstream of Farakka. However, upstream of
Allahabad the mean annual flow is less than 1,700 cum per second and, as a
result, the upper plain course of the Ganges is liable to be polluted to some
extent if adequate precautionary measures are not taken; this fact is
especially true during the lean months.
Further down, especially in the estuarine section near the
outfall, the up-and-down movement of the water periodically causes temporary
suspension of the water current, as the tide shifts from ebb to flow and vise-
versa. As a result of this stagnation, removal of pollutants in the tidal
section can expected to be slow and difficult.
Physiographical and Soil Characteristics:
Physiographic India is divided into seven
major divisions: (1) Northern Mountains, (2) Great Plains (3) Central Highlands
(4) Peninsular Plateaus, (5) East Coast, (6) West Coast and (7) Islands.
The Ganges basin falls entirely within the
first three divisions. The peninsular plateau of the Ganges trough (with an
elevation of less than 300 metres) is filled with older (Pleistocene) and
recent alluvia, forming nearly 4,000,00 Sq Km in the states of Haryana,
Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, comprising 50% of basin area. The
Ganges basin can be further divided into the following seven physiographic
sub-divisions.
a)
Trans-Yamuna Plain:
This
sector constitutes the western end of the Ganges basin, covering the states of
Haryana and Rajasthan. The region is characterized by thick, unconsolidated
material subtly sloping down from the western watershed towards the Yamuna. On
account of the flat topography, water logging and saline efflorescence has been
recorded in many areas, especially since the introduction of large-scale and
intensive irrigation practices through the Western Yamuna Canal.
b)
Ganges-Yamuna Doab:
East
of Trans-Yamuna plain lies the Ganges-Yamuna interfluvial doab tract, which
stands out as a large slab of older alluvial terrace sloping towards the south
and southeast, falling off from a level of 283 metres at Hardwar to some 95
metres at Allahabad. The twin rivers, Ganges and Yamuna, wind along the
low-lying flood-plain belts built up by the younger alluvial sediments
deposited during periodical inundations. The bangar terraces, are thick
deposits of older silts, rising high above the khadar plain – up to 20 metres
at times - measured from the present river beds. The bangar surface of the
Ganges-Yamuna Doab has a rather variegated topography interspersed by breaks of
slope due to terrace formations and sand belts (Bhur), which stand out like
transverse sand dunes.
c)
Rohilkhand:
To
the east of the Ganges-Yamuna doab is the large plain of Rohilkhand, which
extends from the Ganges upto the lower alluvial plain of Avadh. Rohilkhand
comprises a flight of several river terraces separated from each other by
step-like breaks of slope. The highest terrace is located at the Himalayan
foothills and is built up of boulder studded bhabar deposits.
d)
Avadh Plain:
Further east of Rohilkhand
and lying at a lower elevation is the Avadh plain. The Avadh plain comprises
the extensive khadar belts of several mighty streams, the chief of which is the
Ghaghara.
e) North Bihar Plain:
Further east, the great
riparian plain of North Bihar appears. The North Bihar plain is riddled with
numerous old river beds which have been deserted by the Kosi in the course of
its movement from the eastern end of Bihar to its present position as the main
channel in the west. In addition to the depressions left by these old river
beds, there also lies large marshes and waterlogged areas, known as the chorus,
along the Ganges.
f) North Bengal Plain:
At the farthest end of the Ganges basin is
the North Bengal plain, which contains Pleistocene deposits of the Barindra
region, terraces of coarse grained materials and terai depressions in the
piedmont plain below the Darjeeling hills.
g) Bengal Basin:
South of the Ganges, lies the Bengal basin,
which comprises much of the Ganges delta plain‘s recent alluvium and its
western rim. The western rim is made up of Pleistocene alluvial formation
(often lateritic), as the land slopes up towards the rocky Chota Nagpur
plateau.
Soil
Characteristics:
The Ganges basin is characterized by a wide
variety of soils. The soils of the high Himalayas in the north are subject to
continued erosion and the Ganges trough provides a huge receptacle into which
thousands of metres of thick sediment layers are deposited to form a wide
valley plain. The plateau on the south has a mantle of residual soils of
varying thickness arising due to the weathering of the ancient rocks of the
peninsular shield. Ten classes of soils have developed in the Ganges basin
under different Iithology, climatic and pedogenetic conditions.
Some of the soils within the Ganges basin are
highly susceptible to erosion. Such soils need adequate conservation measures
and appropriate land management interventions, with an eye towards preserving
the soil resource and keeping the turbidity levels of the surface water within
tolerable limits. The susceptibility of each of the soil groups to erosion and
the areas covered in the different states within the Ganges basin are indicated
in Table 4 later.
Ganges amidst Himalayas
Blue watered Ganges
Soil type of Ganges
basin and their susceptibility to erosion: table 4.
Name of the soil
|
Susceptibility
|
% of total area
|
Mountain soil
|
Very
high
|
1.59
|
Submontane soil
|
Very high
|
4.28
|
Alluvial soil
|
Very
high
|
52.44
|
Red soil
|
High
|
11.80
|
Red yellow soil
|
Moderate
|
5.83
|
Mixed red black soil
|
Moderate
|
2.95
|
Deep black soil
|
Low
|
3.96
|
Medium black soil
|
Low
|
10.78
|
Shallow black soil
|
Low
|
5.40
|
Lateritic soil
|
Low
|
0.97
|
Total area
|
861404
sq km.
|
100
|
Source:
Central Pollution Control Board, National River Conservation Directorate (MoEF)
(2009)
Below is a charming
image of sunset with Ganges
ECOLOGY:
The Ganges has been described
by the World Wildlife Fund as one of the world’s top ten rivers at risk. It has
over 140 fish species, 90 amphibian species, and five areas which support birds
found nowhere else in the world. According to studies reported by environmental
engineer D.S. Bhargava of the University of Roorkee, the Ganges decomposes
organic waste 15 to 25 times faster than other rivers. The Ganges has an
extraordinarily high rate of re aeration, the process by which it absorbs
atmospheric oxygen. When organic waste is dropped into it, as much as 60 per
cent of the BOD is processed within an hour. The water quality samples also
suggest that the Ganges retains DO much longer than do water from other rivers.
In a recent finding, the scientists have observed that various
species of fishes which helped in keeping the river water clean are facing
extinction. In its place, numerous marine species are thriving in the river.
Marine species like Sea Bass, Rostellascaris, Xenentodon Cancilla, Clarius Gariepinus
or Thai Magur have been found in the fresh water of Ganges in Allahabad and its
surrounding districts.
Ganges dolphins were once found in abundance in the river Ganges. But
over the years a steady increase in pollution in the river has threatened the
population of Dolphins. River Dolphin declared as National Aquatic Animal and
on January 19, 2010, Ministry of Environment and Forests included in the
Schedule I for the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. According to the
World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Ganges dolphins are in grave danger with their
population declining at a rate of 10 percent annually. Industrial discharges,
sewage, pesticides and the rotting remains of dead bodies have increased
pollution levels in the River Ganges over the years despite government promises
to clean-up the holy river. The Ganges river dolphin (Platanista
Gangetia) is found in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, in the Ganges,
Brahmaputra, Meghna, Karnaphuli and Hugli river systems. The river water
is so muddy that vision is useless and so these dolphins are blind and their
eyes have no lenses. They use a sophisticated echolocation system to
navigate and find food. They eat shrimp and fish from the mud in river
bottoms. They are solitary creatures and are only found in fresh
water. The Ganges river dolphin is an endangered species as a result of a
number of factors. These factors include the damming of rivers for
hydroelectric and irrigation purposes, and the increase in boat traffic,
fishing and pollution. They are also hunted by humans for meat and
oil. There are only approximately 4000 - 6000 individuals left. Here is
an image of Ganges dolphin given in the next page.
There is another Ganges dolphin……
DELTA
OF GANGES:
The
silt deposits of the delta cover an area of 23 000 sq miles (60 000 sq
km). The river courses in the delta are broad and active, carrying a vast
amount of water. The rains from June to October cause most of the Bangladeshi
delta region to flood, leaving the villages that are built on artificially
raised land isolated. On the seaward side of the delta are swamplands and
tidal forests called Sunderbans which are protected conservation areas in both
Indian and Bangladeshi law. The peat found in the delta is used for
fertiliser and fuel. The water supply to the river depends on the rains
brought by the monsoon winds from July to October and the melting snow from the
Himalayas during the period from April to June. The delta also
experiences strong cyclonic storms before and after the monsoon season which
can be devastating. In November 1970, for example, 200 000 - 500 000
people were killed in such storms. Delta used to be densely forested and
inhabited by many wild animals. Today, however, it has become intensely
cultivated to meet the needs of the growing population and many of the wild
animals have disappeared. The Royal Bengal Tiger still lives in the Sunderbans
and kills about 30 villagers every year. There remains high fish
population in the rivers which provides an important part of the inhabitants'
diet. Bird life in the Ganges basin is also prolific.
For centuries the Ganges River has been
depositing mud at its mouth. From the southern border of the Himalayas and
Central India the turbid waters of its tributaries carry silt past Delhi, Agra,
Benares and other famous cities to de- posit in its great delta, which thus continually
encroaches on the Bay of Bengal. As long ago as 1840 Smith made borings to a
depth of 481 feet and found alluvial deposits. From May to November it really rains
south of the Himalayas. Pelseneer (1906) pointed out that the heavy rains at
the head of the Bay of Bengal dilute the ocean so that marine animals there
have become adapted some- what to fresh water. But Annandale (1922), after
studying the animals in the Ganges Delta for many years, was astonished that so
few species were able actually to attain from the sea to the river.
Deltaic
region in West Bengal:
Different
opinions about the delineation of the Bengal Delta are there among the
scholars.
According
to Oldham, the whole country, including proper sunderban, the tract lying
between the Hugli on the west and Meghna on the east is the delta caused by the
deposition of debris carried down by Ganges and associates.
According
to Fox, Bengal deltaic portion begins a little bit below Rajmahal and close to
the ancient town Gaur, now has been ruined, there the first distributary, the
Bhagirathi, became the Hugli River of Calcutta leaves the main stream.
Both
Oldham and Fox consider deltaic region as commencing from the point where the
Ganges has given off the distributary Bhagirathi.
Dr.
Strickland has worked on the Bengal delta for considerable period of time.
Strickland called deltaic region as the area of transcendent deposition in
contradistinction from that of abrasion.
According
to Fergusson, the use of gradient Hugli River might be of some help in
demarcating the deltaic region of West Bengal. There aggradation is more
prominent than degradation.
Sir
William in his book has frequently referred different portions of Bengal as
deltaic in character. From a study of his book it appears that wherever a river
overflowed its banks in high flood, deposited a top dressing of silt. Such
tracts are considered by William as conforming to nature of delta. Sir
William’s opinion has been supported by several other scholars who considered
every portion of Bengal as alluvial deposit and whole as a delta. West Bengal
has large deltaic tract including the North and South 24 Parganas, Hugli,
Kolkata, Sagar Dweep, Kak Dweep etc.
Delta
of Ganges (Bhagirathi-Hugli)
An
evening view
There are some other images of the Ganges
Delta snapped from satellites and airways.
These
are satellite images of Ganges Delta-
Preety
delta of Ganges
A
unique map of Ganges Delta (West Bengal)
This
is not a real coloured map of Ganges delta. It is imaginary work. The Ganges
delta looks from the sky just like this imagery.
A
nice Ganges Dolphin:
Another
image of Ganges delta:
CLIMATIC
CHANGES AFFECTING GANGES:
The Ganges is also one of the rivers most
threatened by climate change. According to a report by the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate, looking at the threat from climate change to human
development and the environment, only the polar icecaps hold more fresh water.
If the current trends of climate change continue, by 2030 the size of the
glaciers could be reduced by as much as 80 per cent.
Some of India’s most important rivers are fed by the Himalayan
glaciers. But rising temperatures means that many of the Himalayan glaciers are
melting fast due Global warming and could diminish significantly over the
coming decades with catastrophic results. In the long run, the water flow in
the Ganges could drop by two-thirds, affecting more than 400 million people who
depend on it for drinking water. The formation of glacial lakes of
melt-water creates the threat of outburst floods leading to devastation in
lowland valleys.
Himalayan glaciers are already in retreat. Their dependence on glacier
runoff makes downstream population particularly vulnerable to the consequences,
says Koko Warner of the UN Universities Institute for Environment and Human
Security. The Ganges irrigates 17.9 million hectares in northern India.
GANGES POLLUTION:
Today the most important pilgrim centre of India is
Ganges River and surroundings. There are several pilgrim spots which are
considered as sacred places according to Hindu mythologies, ethos. But now,
those holy, sacred places are being tremendously contaminated by anthropogenic
activities and old school habits of local people. Thus Ganges is being
contaminated. Now, it is true that after crossing Rishikesh from Gangotri the
pure, cool, thirst quenching Ganges water is very difficult to avail. Even at
Hardwar it is very much contaminated. That is due to reckless bathing of
humans, animals, lots of ritual activities; specially at “Har kii Pohri” ghat.
There a mighty statue of
Lord Shiva has been set up, its ornamentations are
highly appreciable. Ganges
finds its name in the list of the five most polluted rivers of the world. In
certain areas in Ganges river bacteria levels are more than 100 times higher
than the limits set by the government. From washing clothes to dumping bodies,
the river's purity is maligned every day and in spite of the alarming levels of
pollution, people continue to use the water to drink and take bath.
Today, over 29 cities, 70 towns, and thousands of villages extend along
the Ganges banks. Nearly all of their sewage - over 1.3 billion litters per day
- goes directly into the river, along with thousands of animal carcasses,
mainly cattle. Another 260 million litters of industrial waste are added to
this by hundreds of factories along the rivers banks. Municipal sewage constitutes
80 per cent by volume of the total waste dumped into the Ganges, and
industries contribute about 15 percent. The majority of the Ganges pollution is
organic waste, sewage, trash, food, and human and animal remains. Over the past
century, city populations along the Ganges have grown at a tremendous rate,
while waste-control infrastructure has remained relatively unchanged. Recent
water samples collected in Varanasi revealed fecal-coliform counts of about
50,000 bacteria per 100 ml of water, 10,000% higher than the government
standard for safe river bathing. The result of this pollution is an array of
water-borne diseases including cholera, hepatitis, typhoid and amoebic
dysentery. An estimated 80% of all health problems and one-third of deaths in India
are attributable to water-borne diseases. The sacred practice of depositing human remains in the Ganges also
poses health threats because of the unsustainable rate at which partially
cremated cadavers are dumped. In Varanasi, some 40,000 cremations are performed
each year, most on wood pyres that do not completely consume the body. Along
with the remains of these traditional funerals, there are thousands more who
cannot afford cremation and whose bodies are simply thrown into the
Ganges. In addition, the carcasses of thousands of dead cattle, which are
sacred to Hindus, go into the river each year. An inadequate cremation
procedure contributes to a large number of partially burnt or semi burnt corps
floating down the Ganges.
Hundreds of corps are burnt on the line of wooden pyres. Soot-covered
men bustle about, raking in the still-glowing ashes, sweeping them into the
river. Gray dust from the pyres floats atop the waves, mixing with flower
garlands and foam. The dust and debris resurfaces some distance away, this
time, intermixed with polythene bags, empty cans and dirty clothes. This is the
holy Ganges at its holiest spot Varanasi.
The industrial pollutants also a major source of contamination in the
Ganges. A total of 146 industries are reported to be located along the river
Ganges between Rishikesh and Prayag. 144 of these are in Uttar Pradesh (U.P.)
and 2 in Uttaranchal. The major polluting industries on the Ganges are the
leather industries, especially near Kanpur, which use large amounts of Chromium
and other toxic chemical waste, and much of it finds its way into the meagre
flow of the Ganges. From the plains to the sea, pharmaceutical companies,
electronics plants, textile and paper industries, tanneries, fertilizer
manufacturers and oil refineries discharge effluent into the river. This
hazardous waste includes hydrochloric acid, mercury and other heavy metals,
bleaches and dyes, pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyls highly toxic
compounds that accumulate in animal and human tissue.
The tannery industry mushrooming in North India has converted the Ganges
River into a dumping ground. The tanning industry discharges different types of
waste into the environment, primarily in the form of liquid effluents
containing organic matters, chromium, sulphide ammonium and other salts.
According to the information obtained from the UP State Pollution Control
Board, there are 402 tanneries operating in the city Kanpur of which 65 were
closed on September 17, 2010 issuing notices to 253 tanneries operating
in the city, the State Pollution Control Board has asked them to comply with
central norms to curb pollution within 15 days or face consequences.
Ganges is getting polluted day-by-day. Nearly 170 factories and
tanneries located between Kannauj and Varanasi, covering an area of 450 km,
were found responsible for polluting the river by discharging wastes into it
without treatment. In 1996, the Supreme Court had banned the discharge of
effluents from various tanneries and factories located on its banks in Kanpur. The
tanneries of Kanpur are responsible for 7% of pollution in the river.
However, industry is not the only source of pollution. Sheer
volume of waste - estimated at nearly 1 billion litres per day - of mostly
untreated raw sewage - is a significant factor. Runoff from farms in the
Ganges basin adds chemical fertilizers and pesticides such as DDT, which is
banned in the United States because of its toxic and carcinogenic effects on
humans and wildlife. Damming the river or diverting its water, mainly for
irrigation purposes, also adds to the pollution crisis. Atmospheric
deposition of heavy smokes emitted from vehicles and presence of industrial
units adjoining the Ganges is adding to the pollution load on the river,
researchers have found on May 2010.
Illegal
Mining in and around the Hardwar, boulders abutting the river are being removed
for construction, causing damage to the river's banks and bed. Tractors and
trucks often just drive through the bed in the dry season. Recently the Swami Nigamanand sacrificed to save the Ganges
who was protesting against mining in the Ganges.
Decades-long efforts by the government to breathe life into Ganges
through massive clean-up programmes have come to naught. Consider this: Over Rs
10 billion have been pumped into the Ganges Action Plan I and II between 1985
and 2000, but India’s holiest river is still sullied. Discharge of
untreated wastewater from towns along Ganges constitutes the major source of
pollution load for the river. Against the estimated wastewater generation of
around 3000 million litres per day from towns along the river Ganges, sewage
treatment capacity of 1025 ml has been created so far under the Ganges Action
Plan. On July 19, 2011 a Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report
on the Bhagirathi River's quality of water, one of the main tributaries of the
Ganges in Uttaranchal, warns of an increase in pathogenic contamination at some
of its key pilgrimage and tourist spots because of open defecation and seepage
of sewage from septic tanks, toilets and hotels. The pollution is acute in
Gangotri, Uttarkashi, Dharashu-Chinyalisaur and Devprayag where there has been
an increase in human settlements along the river bank, the report says. These
are also the places where people take the holy dip and perform other religious rituals.
GANGES ACTION PLAN:
An expenditure of Rs.90 million has been
incurred so far under the Ganges Action Plan for conservation and pollution
abatement of river Ganges. Discharge standards have been notified for
industries under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The State Pollution
Control Boards/ Pollution Control Committees have been empowered under the
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and Water (Prevention and Control of
Pollution) Act, 1974 to take appropriate action against defaulting industries.
The Central Government has constituted the National Ganges River Basin Authority
(NGRBA) in February, 2009 as an empowered authority under Section 3 of the
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for conservation of the river Ganges.
After two Ganges Action Plans failed to deliver the goods, seven major
IITs of the country have joined hands to find ways to clean up the national
river. After perusing a report submitted by the seven IITs, namely IIT Kanpur,
Mumbai, Guwahati, Delhi, Kharagpur, Chennai and Roorkee, the Union Ministry of
Environment and Forests has asked them June 10, 2010 to prepare a work plan for
National Ganges River Basin Authority (NGRBA) in the next 18 months.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on June 10, 2010 approved
a proposal for carrying out the second phase of Ganges Action Plan worth
Rs.4960 million with Japanese assistance at Varanasi.
The Ganges Action Plan (GAP) was initiated by the late Prime Minister
Mrs. Indira Gandhi, who called for a comprehensive survey of the situation in
1979. In 1985, the government of India launched the Ganges Action Plan, which
was devised to clean up the river in selected areas by installing sewage
treatment plants and threatening fines and litigation against industries that
pollute.
The 2006 official audit of the Ganges Action Plan has revealed
that it has met only 39 per cent of its sewage
treatment target. Moreover, the plan is behind schedule by over 13 years.
According to the legal counsel, Central Pollution Control Board, Mr Vijay
Panjawani, even after spending Rs 24,0000 million, the Ganges remains dirty as
ever.
A total of Rs.740110 million has been released
to different States so far for implementation of schemes for the river Ganges
under Ganges Action Plan (GAP). The GAP Phase – I, the first attempt of the
Government of India to undertake pollution abatement works in the river Ganges,
was launched in the year 1985 with the objective of treating 882 million litres
per day of sewage and improving its water quality to bathing class standards.
Since GAP Phase – I did not cover the pollution load of Ganges fully, GAP Phase
– II which includes plans for its major tributaries namely, Yamuna, Gomti,
Damodar and Mahananda, besides Ganges, was approved in stages from 1993 onwards.
The above two phases of Ganges Action Plan have continued since their inception
with GAP-I having been completed in 2000 and GAP-II is presently under
implementation.
A total of 146 industries are reported to be located along the river
Ganges between Rishikesh and Prayag. 144 of these are in Uttar Pradesh (U.P.)
and 2 in Uttaranchal. Of the grossly polluting industries in U.P., 82
industries have installed Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) and are reported to
be complying with the standards, 27 industries, though have installed ETPs are
not reported to be complying with the prescribed standards and 35 industries
are reported to have been closed. The Central Pollution Control Board has
issued directions to the State Pollution Control Boards under Section 18 1(b)
of Water Act, 1974 for taking appropriate legal action against the defaulting
industries. In the State of Uttaranchal, of the 2 Grossly Polluting Industries,
one is reported to have installed the ETP and the other is reported to have
been closed. As regards the number of drains falling into the river in the
towns covered under the Ganges Action Plan and number of identified Gross
Polluting Industries which discharge their effluent in the river between Rishikesh
and Prayag, the same is given in the Annexure.
GAP Phase-I was declared closed in March, 2000. Since the present sanctioned cost of works
for Ganga River (main stem) under GAP Phase-II is Rs.5640 million against which
an amount of Rs.3730 million has been released to the State Implementing
Agencies. Out of a total of 311 schemes sanctioned, 185 schemes have been
completed so far and the balance schemes are in different stages of
implementation.
Ganges set to vanish near its
source:
There would be no water in large stretches of the famed Alaknanda and
Bhagirathi riverbeds if the Uttaranchal government goes ahead with its plan to
build 53 power projects on these two rivers which join at Devprayag to form the
Ganges, the Comptroller and Auditor General has said on April 1, 2010.
A CAG inspection report submitted to the Uttaranchal governor says
that already the riverbed is completely dry at Srinagar and what flows
downstream is the water released by a power plant from its tunnel and those
diverted from tributaries. If all projects are allowed to go through, the
aquatic life and biodiversity of the river basin will be virtually erased.
Sources said the report also expresses fear that all villages settled along the
river basin will be uprooted once the rivers go dry, leading to mass migration
and cultural erosion.
The CAG comes down hard on the state government whose power policy of
2006 allows a private player to divert up to 90% of the river water to power
turbines, leaving only 10% to flow in the natural course of the river.
According a news published in INDIA TODAY on February 1, 2010, a plan to
produce electricity in the Himalayas to ease the power situation in the plains
could make the Ganges disappear in the valley of its origin. The river
will remain tunnelled continuously for a distance of 130 km up to Dharasu near
Uttarkashi
In all, 12 large and medium hydroelectric projects are
either functioning, are under construction or have been proposed between
Gangotri and Hardwar. Ecologists and local groups have warned that if all the
projects are executed, there will be no free- flowing water for about 250
km of India most holy river.
The construction work has been suspended in three out of eight
hydro-electric projects on river Bhagirathi in Uttaranchal, the government told
the Rajya Sabha on April 26, 2010. The third big dam on the Bhagirathi
river — 600 MW Loharinag Pala can be shut down after taking due care, a
technical committee set up by the environment and forests ministry has concluded
on June 24, 2010.
Within a month of approving the 600 MW Loharinag Pala dam on Uttaranchal,
a group of ministers on August 20, 2010 scrapped the National Thermal
Power Corporation project following intervention by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan
Singh. The Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had approved the project in July
on the ground that NTPC had already spent Rs 6000 million and ordered equipment
worth Rs 2,000 for the project. A large number of religious organisations and
former IIT professor G.D. Agarwal a new rishi to save Ganges asked
Singh to review the decision. Agarwal was on his third fast unto death against
the decision in Dehra dun. Uttaranchal State has planned to build 300
small and large dams on various tributaries of the Ganges to tap the hydro
power potential of the State.
Some images can be cited here from where it can be
easily envisaged that now our Ganges has not remained intact the same ancient
Ganges.
Boats are kept and
mal maintained.
Is it a river or a
flow of garbages, & wastes ?
This
is the real condition of Ganges today in
Allahabad
Domestic
works of local people: Varanasi
Heap
of litters beside Hugli River
A
monk taking bath at Rishikesh Ganges
An
overview of Rishikesh town
This
water of Ganges can be said as really pure water at Gangotri………source of Ganges
Arsenic pollution in
Ganges:
The pandemic of arsenic
poisoning due to contaminated groundwater in West Bengal, India, and all of
Bangladesh has been thought to be limited to the Ganges Delta (the Lower Ganges
Plain), despite early survey reports of arsenic contamination in groundwater in
the Union Territory of Chandigarh and its
surroundings in the north western
Upper Ganges Plain and recent findings in the Tarai area of Nepal. Anecdotal
reports of arsenical skin lesions in villagers led us to evaluate arsenic
exposure and sequelae in the Semria Ojha Patti village in the Middle Ganges
Plain, Bihar, where tube wells replaced dug wells about 20 years ago. Analyses
of the arsenic content of 206 tube wells (95% of the total) showed that 56.8%
exceeded arsenic concentrations of 50 g/L, with 19.9% > 300 g/L, the
concentration predicting overt arsenical skin lesions. On medical examination
of a self-selected sample of 550 (390 adults and 160 children), 13% of the
adults and 6.3% of the children had typical skin lesions, an unusually high
involvement for children, except in extreme exposures combined with
malnutrition. The urine, hair, and nail concentrations of arsenic correlated
significantly (r = 0.72-0.77) with drinking water arsenic concentrations up to
1,654 g/L. We also observed an apparent increase in fetal loss and premature
delivery in the women with the highest concentrations of arsenic in their
drinking water. The possibility of contaminated groundwater at other sites in
the Middle and Upper Ganges Plain merits investigation. The pandemic of arsenic poisoning due to
contaminated groundwater in West Bengal, India, and all of Bangladesh has been
thought to be limited to the Ganges Delta (the Lower Ganges Plain), despite
early survey reports of arsenic contamination in groundwater in the Union
Territory of Chandigarh and its surroundings in the north western Upper Ganges
Plain and recent findings in the Terai area of Nepal. Anecdotal reports of
arsenical skin lesions in villagers led us to evaluate arsenic exposure and
sequelae in the Semria Ojha Patti village in the Middle Ganges Plain, Bihar,
where tube wells replaced dug wells about 20 years ago. On medical examination of a self-selected
sample of 550 (390 adults and 160 children), 13% of the adults and 6.3% of the
children had typical skin lesions, an unusually high involvement for children,
except in extreme exposures combined with malnutrition. We also observed an
apparent increasing in loss and premature delivery in the women with the
highest concentrations of arsenic in their drinking water. The possibility of
contaminated groundwater at other sites in the Middle and Upper Ganges Plain
merits investigation.
Distribution number of tube
wells by arsenic concentration (pg/L) In Fakirpara village, Samta village, and
Semria Ojha Patti village, Table 5:
Loc.
|
Vill.
|
% water
|
<10
|
10-50
|
51-99
|
100-299
|
300-499
|
500-699
|
700-1000
|
>1000
|
WB
|
Fakirpara
|
100
|
2
|
3
|
6
|
12
|
10
|
8
|
5
|
-
|
BNG
|
Samta
|
96
|
5
|
18
|
104
|
93
|
13
|
21
|
11
|
-
|
BR
|
Sem.
Ojh
|
95
|
38
|
51
|
26
|
41
|
22
|
12
|
6
|
2
|
MISCELLANEOUS:
Hardwar is a very important religious town of Uttaranchal. This town
bears ritual importance since the ancient era. People come from different parts
of the country here to take holy bath in Ganges. This tow is a pivotal tourist
spot of northern India along with Rishikesh town.
this mighty statue of Lord Shiva
at Hardwar says many non verbal sentiments of the place. This statue is 75 feet
high (6th floor) high and made of bronze and gold. This is at just
the bank of mighty Ganges where millions of people take bath. At the “Har kii
Pohri” ghat every afternoon “Aarti” is arranged, expenditure of aarti is
contributed by tourists solely. At the night the view of entire town of Hardwar
is really appreciable.
An evening in Hardwar
Gangotri is most sacred, beautiful part of the Ganges
river course, after all, it is the mighty source of mightiest river of our
country. Some spell bound images of Ganges can be cited here.
Gangotri
Turbulent waterfalls of Ganges at Gangotri, these
waterfalls are tremendously fast and furious.
River rafting at Gangotri
Calm and quiet Ganges
A mighty waterfall in Ganges course named as Tiger falls
at Gangotri, falling from 32 metre.
The mighty Ganges, photograph is taken from height of
38000 feet. This is an aerial photograph of Ganges parts.
Rishikesh is another important religious centre like
Hardwar. This town is equally important in terms of religious purposes to
Hardwar. The beauty of Ganges is much more in Rishikesh rather than Hardwar.
Great Laxman Jhula of Rishikesh
Pious Ganges at Rishikesh
Not only the mountainous course of the Ganges is
beautiful; the great plain of Ganges is lush beautiful. It is very much fertile
as well as it is green also.
An overview of Ganges Plain
Forested area of Ganges Plain area
A delicate view of Ganges Plain
Ganges plain is very much extensive and lushed with
greeneries and grazing lands along with pivotal assistance to the agriculture.
This plain stretches from the Uttar Pradesh through Bihar, Jharkhand to West
Bengal in India and it lushes Bangladesh also. Broadly speaking this plain
feeds the country.
ECONOMY:
Ganges is most important river of India. Here
several economic activities have been emerged. Most important economic activity
is fishing then mining, tourism & hotel business, small cottage industries,
handicrafts etc. Use
of the Ganges water for irrigation, either when the river is in flood or by
means of gravity canals, has been common since ancient times. Such irrigation
is described in scriptures and mythological books written more than 2,000 years
ago. Irrigation was highly developed during the period of Muslim rule from the
12th century onward, and the Mughal kings later constructed several canals. The
canal system was further extended by the British.
The cultivated area of the Ganges valley in Uttar
Pradesh and Bihar benefits from a system of irrigation canals that has
increased the production of such cash crops as sugarcane, cotton, and oilseeds.
The Upper Ganges Canal and its branches have a
combined length of 5,950 miles (9,575 km); it begins at Hardwar. The Lower Ganges Canal, extending 5,120 miles (8,240 km) with
its branches, begins at Narora. The Sarda Canal irrigates
land near Ayodhya,
in Uttar Pradesh. In ancient times the Ganges and some of its tributaries,
especially in the east, were important transportation routes. According to the
ancient Greek historian Megasthenes, the Ganges and its main tributaries were
being navigated in the 4th century B.C.
In the 14th century, inland-river navigation in the Ganges basin was still
flourishing. By the 19th century, irrigation-cum-navigation canals formed the
main arteries of the water-transport system. The advent of paddle steamers
revolutionized inland transport, stimulating the growth of indigo production in
Bihar and Bengal. Regular steamer services ran from Kolkata up the Ganges to
Allahabad and far beyond, as well as to Agra on the Yamuna and up the
Brahmaputra River.
The decline of large-scale
water transport began with the construction of railways during the mid-19th
century.
The Farakka Barrage at
the head of the delta, just inside India in West Bengal, began diverting Ganges
waters south into India in 1976. The Indian government argued that hydrological
changes had diverted Ganges water from the port of Kolkata over the preceding
century and resulted in the deposition of silt and the intrusion of saline
seawater. India constructed the dam to ameliorate the condition of Kolkata by
flushing away the seawater and raising the water
level. The Bangladeshi government maintained that the
Farakka Barrage deprived south western Bangladesh of a needed source of water.
The hydroelectric potential of the Ganges and its tributaries has been
estimated at 13 million kilowatts, of which about two-fifths lies within India
and the rest in Nepal. Some of this potential has been exploited in India with
such hydroelectric developments as those along the Chambal and Rihand rivers.
Mining is also an economic activity in Ganges area.
But most of the mining activities are illegal and exploitative. Ganges river
areas are being excavated due to this reckless, boundless and desperate illegal
mining work. The mining mafias are not thinking about the surrounding
environment and the ecosystem. They are ruthless and heartless to the nature
and environment surrounding Ganges. They cheat the government from the tax
payment over this illegal mining work.
Mining in the Ganges Uttaranchal news:
Despite the martyrdom of Swami Nigamanand of Matri Sadan,
Kankhal, Hardwar, illegal mining goes on in the Ganges and other rivers in the
region, obviously due to an unholy nexus between the mining mafia and the law
enforcing agencies. Swami Nigamanand (34) died after a fast of 115 days,
demanding ban on quarrying of subminerals, such as
stones, boulders and sand, from the bed of the Ganges in the Kumbh mela area
and the shifting of the Himalayan Stone Crusher, one of the biggest in the
country, from the Kumbh mela area. Though the fast of the Swami did not elicit
required response from the state government, the administration and the society as a whole, the state
High Court on May 27 banned quarrying from the Ganges river bed and also
ordered shifting of the Himalayan Stone Crusher out of the Kumbh Mela area.
Swami Nigamanand's sacrifice for a noble cause is the first martyrdom in the
country for banning illegal mining and quarrying from the river beds. The young
saint tried to draw the attention of the society and the government towards the
disastrous impact of unplanned and unscientific quarrying on the ecology in
general and the purity and flow of the rivers in particular. The union minister
of state for agriculture and food processing and M.P. from Hardwar, Harish
Rawat, who visited the village, was dumb struck to see that pits up to 30ft.
deep have been dug up in the river bed near the village by the mining mafia.
The extracted sub minerals are
crushed in the stone crushers and the crushed material is supplied in the state
and the adjoining region for constructing roads and buildings. "Due to
spurt in construction activities, the demand of the crushed stones, pebbles, sand etc. has
spiralled. The result is that quarrying has become a highly flourishing
industry for the mining mafia and the stone crushers. Since most of the stone
crushers are near the river banks, illegal mining is very easy", says Dr.
Vijay Verma, an environmentalist associated with the Matri Sadan.
Officially there can be no mining activity in the rivers
during the monsoon season. The court has imposed a ban on mining in the Ganges
within the Kumbh Mela area. However, in spite of the ban by the court, mining
goes on, which itself speaks of the high connections of the mining mafia in the
corridors of power. According to reliable sources the illegal trade fetches
Rs.2000 million per year in the region, though officially the administration earns the revenue of Rs.10-150 million
per year from the legal licences. In most cases the operators of the trade carry on their activities without
paying royalty to the GMVN and the forest corporation. Thus the operators of
illegal trade are defrauding the state exchequer in a big way on the one hand,
while they are plundering the rivers and damaging the ecology on the other
hand. By digging up from very near the banks of the river, the mining mafia has
dented the river banks, causing soil erosion. The 14 km. embankment, built
along the bank of the river to protect the villages from floods, has been
broken at many places by the quarrying mafia to carry on their illegal
activities, rendering the adjoining villages highly prone to recurrent floods.
Ganges
area is well known for tourism. Tourism is a significant economic activity of
the region. Every year millions of tourists from domestic and abroad visit the
pilgrimage for pilgrim and travelling. Thus the area earns lots of foreign
exchanges every year and also the domestic currency. The region has a strong
economy and economic backbone. Main religious centres are Hardwar, Rishikesh,
Alkapuri, Gangotri, karnaprayag, Debaprayag, Guptkashi, Rudraprayag, Banaras,
Mughalsarai etc.
CONCLUSION:
From
the above detailed account of River Ganges there are many things understood
which need changes and development. First of all the extensive initiation of
laws over the illegal mining is to be and to be enforced. Proper taxation from
the mining agencies is required. Secondly, the contamination of the water of
Ganges is also a concern. So all the manufacturing factories, refineries, small
industries are to be removed to a considerable distance or limitations must be
enforced by the government over these units. Government has pivotal role to
play here. Besides the government another thing is necessary to protect Ganges.
That is the consciousness of the local people residing at the banks of the
Ganges. They are to be much more conscious about what they are doing to the
Ganges. Their bad habits of taking bath, all domestic works in the water of
Ganges, bathing of domestic animals and accumulating the lumps of wastes on the
bank of the river are polluting and contaminating the river water extensively.
They require severe change in their mentality. If these changes are possible
then the contamination of Ganges water can be checked up to some extent. If
separate trash collector bins are set up and maintained then the heaps of
wastes will be reduced and thus the Ganges River will be some extent pollution
free. Tourist spots need more facilities to be developed, for example, if cable
car system is introduced on the Laxman Jhula then it will be better because it
is seen that in the jhula local people cross with heavy motorbikes without
thinking about the jhula. Obviously the jhula is metalled but still it is
hanging. Considerable vibration is happened while crossing with a heavy
motorbike. This can give birth to a horrible accident at anytime and Ganges is
turbulent there if anybody falls will be in vain. The water is terribly cold
there also so the people will die in coldness rather than drowning. This is
really concerning and government should take necessary step.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1. Tiwari,
R.C; Geography of India; 2010; Drainage; pp- 100 to 102.
2. Tiwari,
R.C; Geography of India; 2010; Physiography; pp- 74 to 77.
3. Meston,
Baron; contrast in Ganges basin; Geography; volume-18; 1933; pp- 259 to 268.
4. Hewitt,
J.F; derivation of word “Ganges”; journal of the Royal Asiatic society of Great Britain; 1890; pp-
664 to 665.
5. Ministry
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At the north of Jiangxi province the Poyang lake, largest fresh water lake of China is found, where the mighty Yangtze merges into. River runs further through Anhui & Jiangsu province and finally reaches to East China Sea at Shanghai, in the course Yangtze receives lumpsome of freshwaters from numerous lakes. The river is so extensive and deep that large oil vessels enter the river even upto considerable distance towards inland. The river is navigable solely. Yangtze river is the busiest river route of the world, every year millions of tonne of transhipment is done through the river route. Though the river is not so much devastating, from july to september river causes massive flood to the surroundings, sometimes the flood session starts from may month. Some spectacular floods in Yangtze river was happened in 1931. 1935, 1954 & 1988. First 2 floods tool heaviest toll of lives (over 1.4 lakh individually). 
