Retrain engineers, not the Ganga

Hydropower is important. But how important? Is it important enough to dry out stretches of our rivers? Or is there a way to balance energy needs with the imperative of a flowing, healthy river?

I have been grappling with these issues for the past few months. But now that the committee (of which I was a member) on the hydropower projects on the Ganga has submitted its report, let me explain how I see the way ahead.

Hydropower is important. But how important? Is it important enough to dry out stretches of our rivers? Or is there a way to balance energy needs with the imperative of a flowing, healthy river?

I have been grappling with these issues for the past few months. But now that the committee (of which I was a member) on the hydropower projects on the Ganga has submitted its report, let me explain how I see the way ahead.

The Ganga in the upper reaches has been an engineer's playground. The Central Electricity Authority and the Uttarakhand power department have estimated the river's hydroelectric potential at some 9,000 MW and planned 70-odd projects on its tributaries. In building these projects, the key tributaries would be modified - through diversion to tunnels or reservoirs - to such an extent that 80 per cent of the Bhagirathi and 65 per cent of the Alaknanda could be "affected".

Most of the proposed projects are run-of-the-river schemes, which are seemingly benevolent compared to large reservoirs and dams - only if the project is carefully crafted to ensure that the river remains a river and does not turn into an engineered drain.

Many projects were planned and were being carried out along the Ganga so that one project would divert water from the river, channel it to the point where energy would be generated and then discharge it back into the river. But the next project would be built even before the river could regain its flow. So, the river would simply, and tragically, dry up over entire stretches.

Energy generation was the driver - indeed, the only obsession. The plan was based on using up all the water in the dry season to produce energy. In this way, the river would have stopped being a river. It would have become one massive dam. It would have died.

In the committee, we discussed various options for ecological flow (e-flow) - why and how much should be left in the river for needs other than energy. The hydropower engineers argued for 10 per cent ecological flow, which they said they could "accommodate" in project design without huge loss of energy generation. The Wildlife Institute of India, commissioned to look at ecosystem and fish biodiversity needs, suggested between 20 per cent and 30 per cent e-flow in different seasons.

I said this was inadequate. In most stretches, the lean flow (from November to April) was less than 10 per cent of the high monsoon flow. Leaving just 30 per cent would mean a trickle. It was not acceptable. I proposed 50 per cent e-flow at all times. But, clearly, this was unacceptable to the other side - completely and absolutely.

My colleagues at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) decided to do some number crunching. The committee had been provided, on repeated requests, hydrological data of 24 constructed and proposed projects. My colleagues took these data and analysed the impact on energy generation and tariff in different e-flow regimes. They found that in the 50 per cent e-flow scenario there was substantial impact on the amount of energy generated and, therefore, on the tariff. But if we modified this a little and provided for a little extra water for energy generation in the high-discharge season, but kept the 50 per cent e-flow for the lean season, the results changed dramatically.

In this case, the reduction in energy generation was not substantial. Therefore, tariffs were comparable. The reason was simple: the projects actually did not generate much energy in the lean season. The plant load factor, project after project, showed that even in the unrestricted scenario (e-flow of 10 per cent or less) there was no water to produce energy in the lean season. We suggested that mimicking river flow was the best way to optimise energy generation. The river had enough to give us, but only if we put the river first and our needs next.

Based on this, our proposal was to provide 30 per cent e-flow for six months (May to October) and 50 per cent for six months (November to April). But, as expected, this analysis did not suit the hydropower side. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, also a member of the committee, was asked to review the analysis.

The games started. IIT-Roorkee, represented by its Alternative Hydro Energy Centre, disputed our conclusions. We asked why? No data were provided on the method of estimation. But hidden in the background sheets provided by IIT-Roorkee were data from two projects of hydrological flow used to disprove our figures. We checked. We found, to our shock, that figures of flow had been modified; suddenly there was no water in the river in the first place, so a higher e-flow regime would naturally mean lower energy generation. We checked again. We found that even levelised tariff figures had been "changed" from what was provided earlier to the committee.

A round of data contest began. In my next article, I will tell you how the matter was resolved (or not). But let me leave you with this thought: rivers should not be trained; it's Indian hydropower engineers who need retraining.

Baba Nagnath fast : MUM governance silent public

Varanasi-based Baba Nagnath who has been observing fast-unto-death for almost three years (1083 days) to save the Ganga was wheeled to hospital after his health deteriorated fast.

The saint, who previously denied better treatment for himself in BHU, has been put on oxygen due to the seriousness of his health. Keeping his fast on, Baba Nagnath said he is not afraid of laying down his life to save Ganga and plans to stage his mission at Jantar Mantar in Delhi after being discharged from hospital.

Baba Nagnath had started his hunger strike three years back to bring into focus the growing pollution in the Ganga and its receding water level because of diversion of water for hydro power projects like Tehri.

While keeping fast, his health suffered and he was admitted to hospital seven times but he is adamant to his plan.

Though the government has spent billion of rupees in the name of saving Ganga, not a single administrative authority has come forward to notice the deteriorating condition of Baba Nagnath’s health.

However, his worsening health condition has raised concerns among saint community.

Truth of Ganga Action Plan

This is the reality of Ganga and Ganga Action Plan

does we are screaming enough

loud screaming in the dumb ears of government is not enough to make our demands. We are not asking for the money but we are asking only to decrease the load of the population from the river

Ganga. According to the BBC Ganga is feeding the 10 percent of the world population and today our mother is dead before reaching her destination. No doubt ventilators in the form of subsidery river have keep alive the river but it does not means that we should keep our eyes shut that there is no problem to the river.

This is very funny that when the government is releasing the money for the river at that time government machineries,NGOs and pvt organisations start screaming and showing there concern towards the river.Yes dear this is very hard but true that Government has released money instead of water. There is common saying that" when last river will dry last grain will finish then we will realized that we cant eat money"

Gaumukh-Uttarkashi Ganga stretch declared eco-sensitive

New Delhi: In a significant step, the government has given in-principle nod for declaring the 135-km stretch of the Ganga between Gaumukh and Uttarkashi as an eco-sensitive zone seeking specific activities to protect the rich biodiversity of the region. The National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) in its meeting held yesterday also approved discontinuation of three hydro projects -- Bhaironghati, Pala Maneri and NTPC's Loharinag Pala proposed on the river. A few months back, a three-member panel headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had suggested to the government to shelve the three dams proposed on the Ganga river following opposition by locals and religious leaders. "The three projects will not be allowed to come up. This was decided yesterday at a meeting of the NGRBA chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh," Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said today on the sidelines of a function here. He said as desired by his ministry, the Authority has also given nod for declaring the river stretch between Gaumukh and Uttarkashi as eco-sensitive zone under the Section 3 of the Environment Act according to which only those activities as approved by the eco-management plans for that region could be undertaken there. "There will be a monitoring committee which will oversee the implementation of the plan. We will consult the state governments in this regard," the Minister said indicating that hydel projects would not be allowed in the zone once declared as eco-sensitive.
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The second meeting of the NGRBA, which was attended by Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia besides Ramesh and four Chief Ministers of the states where river Ganga flows, also discussed the Ganga Basin Management Plan and the World Bank loan to clean the river. "By March next year, we are likely to finalise a billion dollar loan from World Bank to be spread over the next five years for restoring the river system by minimising its pollution level," Ramesh added. The meeting also approved a Conservation Action Plan for the Gangetic dolphin which just a few months back was declared as a national aquatic animal by the government. 'There are less than 2,000 gangetic dolphins in the country and one of the aims of the Ganga river cleaning programme will be increasing the number and distribution of the aquatic animal," Ramesh added. In another important decision, the NGRBA members also approved a proposal wherein the Central government and state government will bear the operation and management cost in the ratio of 70:30 in all the projects being taken up under the NGRBA programme. "So far it was the state governments that were bearing the entire cost for the operation and maintenance. But now the cost will be shared in the ratio of 70:30 for the next three years which could be extended to another two years," the Minister said adding that all the projects will be audited by a third party to ensure transparency. The Authority in the last one year since its inception has sanctioned Rs 14,000 crore worth of projects of which around Rs 800 crore went to Uttar Pradesh alone.

Government cancel NTPC's Loharinag Pala hydel project

A Group of Ministers (GoM) announced their decision to scrap the NTPC's600 MW Loharinag Pala hydel project on Bhagirathi river in Uttarakhand which was a source of contention for religious and environmental reasons.
The GoM held a meeting headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee where the project was re-examined. The GoM recommended that the project, on which the work has been stalled for some time, should be scraped.
The project was uncertain as the government first suspended the work and later resumed work citing huge financial costs. More than Rs 700 crore has already been spent on the project. The GoM has already scrapped 480 MW Pala Maneri and 381 MW Bhairon Ghati hydel projects which were put forward by the state government.
Union minister of power Sushil Kumar Shinde expressed that after considering environmental concerns and recommendation of the Prime Minister to review the project, it was decided to cancel the project. A number of religious leaders were protesting against the dam saying that the dam on Bhagirathi river, which is a tributary to Ganga, would restrict the flow of water and cause danger to the river considered Holy in Hinduism.
Meanwhile, Shinde has said that is ministry will try to get compensation for NTPC due to the losses incurred on the project.
“We will write to the Cabinet seeking compensation for NTPC for all the investments it made in the project. The direct investment in the project estimated to be around Rs. 650 crore and if we take into account the equipment orders placed by the company, the total compensation would be around Rs. 2,000 crore,” he said.

Crisis in our backyard - The disappearing Ganga

By Abhishek Joshi:Circa 1839. Professor V.T Kautle, Secretary to the imperial British government decided to conduct a study and survey of the river Ganga to harness the captive energy of the river water by making recommendations of construction of the 1st dam under Ganga Canal Project. The survey and study got concluded in 1854 and lower Ganga developmental project commenced.
In 1914 under the leadership of Pt. Madan Mohan Malviye (Mahamana) Hindu organizations convened at Haridwar to lodge their unequivocal protest against any activity which could possibly disturb the free flow of Holy Ganga as revered by thousands of its devotee’s and to whom Ganga is no less ordinary river, considered as mother being part of their entrenched religious faith. Due to this overwhelming protest the British government brokered peace and a treaty to this effect was jointly signed by Mahamana & then United Provinces, provincial Secretary, Lt. Governor Maston in 1914.
Under this Ganga Treaty the imperial government agreed the free flow of river Ganga would not be checked by any construction which comprises the sanctity of the river water and its free natural flow and breaches the faith of thousands of Hindu’s through any material construction activity. It also agreed that if any future developmental activity is planned, it would not be carried unless the Hindu organizations, associations are prior consulted by the Govt.Circa 2009. An agreement which knuckled down the British government by Mahamana to protect the living symbol of Indian civilization, a rich heritage and handed down through ages having found numerous mention in our Veda’s and religious scriptures, a river which has an indispensable portion of its presence for umpteen devotee’s, a must in ritual ceremonies from “upnayan to dah sanskar”, has been forgotten by none other than our own Indian government and its “Indian” rulers. A treaty which drew respect from the imperial rulers has been trashed perhaps drowned in their own personal salvation of greed, money, allurement of comprising the faith of tens of crores of Hindu’s over millennia by ignoring the facts of ecological sustenance or cultural heritage.The controversial Tehri dam which itself had seen significant protest in the past, saw the judiciary intervening to clear the project in 2002, being commissioned in 2005 continues to remain controversial by the captive hydro electric generation projections under the planned Mw of electricity Vs actual generated electricity. The desire to be a surplus electric state, interfering with the ecological sustenance of the river basin (one of the most highly fertile basins in the world) is being compromised. Close to 20 different constructions of dams of medium capacity 1 Mw to 500 Mw projects are various planning stages (saving technical details)The stretch of Ganga from her origin in Gaumukh, reaching Gangotri & finally to Uttarkashi is the perhaps most important stretch of the river as it’s the region of her origin and hence any ecological tampering would ripple this effect to the entire river and its flow right to the ocean. From Gangotri to Uttarkashi where the river should be left free to maintain its natural flow and where the river is utmost sensitive over just 14 kms of stretch following projects are under planning:: Bharion Ghati 1 & 2, temporarily suspended: Lohari Nag Pala (was under construction, now temporarily suspended due to various social agitations lead by Sh. K. N Govindacharya and fast unto death by noted environmentalist septuagenarian, Sh. G.D. Agarwal) last year: Pala Maneri, temporarily suspended (included twp projects which got suspended as result of above mentioned agitations: Maneri Bhala 1 - Constructed in 1960’s: Maneri Bhala 2 – Finished in 2008

Being consecutive in nature, Ganga is forced through tunnels from bhairon ghati onwards causing disappearance of the river from its original course. Since this actually would link the mega power project of Tehri Dam, due to continuously being forced in & out of the tunnels not withstanding the dry parched original course, lost flora & fauna, environmental pollution, since the debris is again thrown back alongside the river water bed resulting in river pollution has resulted in Ganga not even present from Gangotri to Rishikesh denying the religious rights of countless of devotee’s as well in the process to not worship the holy river.Environmental or cultural, the agitational reason could be different but the resultative impact remains the same, Ganga ji is disappearing fast right from its origin and on its way. The environmental impact is such steep that the sensitive Gangotri valley is now prone to land slides due to heavy constructions and disturbance of the ecology by virtual making of man made disasters a reality of having seen major debris blocking the course of the river with tons of debris being absorbed by the river bed and settling. The self purification process of the Ganga river water through self purifying microbes are being destroyed in the process as well, a fact which has been scientifically proven and an ability of the water to remain purified through long time of preservation.The ecological and environmental impact is more severe due to loss of farmer produce alongside its banks by river now in tunnels and actual course being dry have resulted in loss of profession for most of the farmers, this when they once were the proud owners of tillable land alongside world’s most fertile basin. Not to be left behind adding their irony the constant fear of cracks being developed in their homes due to blasts for aiding construction, fear of landslides due to rains, debris being strewn in open due to heavy construction, specially in Lohari Nag Pala project as begin observed recently. The region not to mention is in seismic zone -5 making it one of the most risky areas with high possibilities of earthquakes, hence making this all seem unviable in comparison of the cost of generating and being called electric surplus state.The villages have seen dry spell of thirst due to continuous depletion of ground water and felling of tree’s right staying next on the banks of the river for potable drinking water..!!!!!!!Last but not the least, one of the fastest retreating glaciers in the world is again the Gangotri glacier as confirmed by various environmental experts and glaciologist.Where are we now, if someone ask despite 2 major projects being temporarily suspended and the river being declared as our “National River” (if you were not aware..!!) by Hon, Prime Minister last year.We are where we were at the start of 1914. The characters have replaced Mahamana but the struggle has not. Prof. G. D Agarwal had since then been on fast again to writ submit his petition of no action to be seen from the govt against his & other associations, namely Ganga Mahasabha, Matu Sangthan, Rashtriya Swabhiman Andolan demands to maintain the free flow of the river at the stretch. Prof. G. D Agarwal, a septuagenarian would again be in a fast unto death in August 1st week this year to press for all of their demands to restore the ecological, cultural heritage of River Ganga to its original form.All for people like you & me, for our generations to hold the river water & in our palms, pray “sur-sari” Ganga mayya to bless us by allowing us to take dip in its waters the most pious dip of all to wash away our sins by counting on the blessings on us and our families

Prof. G.D.Agarwal fast-unto-death since July 20, 2010

Prof. G.D.Agarwal fast-unto-death since July 20, 2010 A 77-year-old former Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) professor who has been on fast-unto-death in Haridwar since July 20, 2010 in protest against the hydropower project on Bhagirathi, the volunteers of Ganga Mahasabha staged a dharna on Manikarnika Ghat on Saturday. "We extend our support to Agrawal's agitation to stop the Loharinag-Pala hydropower project," said Ganga Mahasabha general secretary Acharya Jitendra, while addressing the gathering. He said it was a conspiracy to kill the holy river by passing it through 18-km-long tunnel. The other speakers, including Vishwanath Dubey and Anurag Pathak, called upon people to fight against the assassination of the Ganga in the name of development.

Ganga Mahotsav

Ganga Mahotsav is a five day event celebrated on the banks of the river Ganges in Varanasi. This festival is celebrated to promote Varanasi as the cultural capital of India and the Ganges as India’s lifeline. Ganga has always been an integral part of India and is considered as a thing of reverence by the Hindus. Ganga gives a sense of belonging to the people of India especially those living near the banks.

Rituals and celebrations

Ganga Mahotsav is organized on Dev Deepavali or the full moon day in the Hindu month of Kartik. It is believed that on the day of Dev Deepavali God descends from Heaven to take a bath in the Ganges. The banks of the river Ganga are lit with earthen lamps or diyas amidst chanting of Vedic hymns. The ghats of Ganga wear a mystic look as hundreds of people walk to take bathe in the wee hours of the holy day. Men and women take a holy dip in the river while chanting mantras and doing surya namaskar or bowing to the sun-God.


The festival also gives importance to dance and music as various cultural programmes promoting Indian dance and music are organized. Some of the exponents of Indian music have performed in this festival. They include stalwarts like Ustad Bismillah Khan, Pundit Chhanulal Misra, Girija Devi, Bal Murli Krishnan, Bhimsen Joshi, Birju Maharaj, Amjad Ali Khan, Vilayat Khan, Zila Khan, Sujat Khan and Zakir Hussein who added zest to this festival. The event is a must for all tourists to get a glimpse of the culture of Varanasi.(DOU 01112007)