| About TBS |
| Programmes |
| Yamuna campaign |
| TBS In Media |
| Photo Gallery |
| Reports and documents |
| Tarun Jal Vidyapeeth |
| Publications |
| Contact |
Save the Ganges
The Ganges has been sacred to Indians since time immemorial. This is no ordinary river. Most Indians revere the Ganges as a mother. Its water is widely believed to possess unique properties. Most Indian homes will have a bottle of "Ganga Jal" as it is believed that this water will not get stale. Use of Ganga Jal is common place as part of almost every important puja / ritual performed by a Hindu. Every Hindu craves for a few drops of "Ganga Jal" as he/she &es for we believe it will help us achieve "Moksha." These are matters of faith. They are part of folklore and wisdom handed down by our fore-fathers. They are at the core of Indian ethos and culture. Part of this folklore mandates that the Ganga be allowed to flow unfettered. In 1916 when the British planned to build a barrage blocking the flow near Haridwar a popular mass movement spearheaded by Shri Madan Mohan Malviya forced the British to modify their plans and enter into a written agreement comn~itting that the flow of the Ganges will not be blocked completely. 'The agreement finds mention in the Constitution of India. Today the very existence of the Ganges is threatened by multiple barrages and tIydn)-electric projects planned dong its Himalayan stretch - the Bhagirathi. First the Tehri Dam and Maneri Bhali were built. Next a series of dams are being built between the Gangotri glacier and Uttarkashi. At these sites water shall be stored, then released periodically through tunnels, at suitable locations where power houses will be built, back into the stream channel. The same is repeated again (and again) further downstream. The result will be that in long stretches and over considerable period of time, there shaU be no flow in the channel. THE GANGA WOULD RUN DRY. Commonsense indicates that such an extenslve tampering of a natural eco-system is bound to adversely affect its ecology and very nature. Yet a series of projects (see map enclosed) are being planned and actively pursued unmindful of the serious damage they are bound to cause. If these projects are allowed to come up the GANGES as Inhans have known it for centuries will cease to exist and wiU be replaced by a series of reservoirs upstream of respective Hydro-electric projects.
In spite of protests and representations by local citizens the projects
are being actively pursued.
Pained at this insensitivity of the project stake holders Professor
Dr. G.D.Agrawal, formerly Professor and Dean at IIT, Kanpur,
Member Secretary, Cenaal Pollution Control Board, a noted teacher,
renowned Environmentalist and devout Hindu, has decided to go on
fast from June l3,2008, until death, unless it is decided that henceforth
all development work which affects the flow in the stream channel
between Gangotri anduttarkashiis stopped.
Press Releases: