Our National River Ganga

Transcription

1 Our National River Ganga

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3 Rashmi Sanghi Editor Our National River Ganga Lifeline of Millions

4 Editor Rashmi Sanghi Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India ISBN ISBN (ebook) DOI / Springer Cham Heidelberg New York Dordrecht London Library of Congress Control Number: Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. Exempted from this legal reservation are brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis or material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the Copyright Law of the Publisher s location, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer. Permissions for use may be obtained through RightsLink at the Copyright Clearance Center. Violations are liable to prosecution under the respective Copyright Law. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication, neither the authors nor the editors nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made. The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein. Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (

5 Foreword Gangaji or the Ganges is the lifeline of India and needs no introduction. Flowing from the Himalayas, through the most heavily populated basin in the world, it is also the most sacred river. From cradle to destination, this 2,225 km long river flowing from Gangotri to Gangasagar has an integral role to play in many customs and traditions of people of India. The national river of India, Ganges, yet an endangered heritage of our country, needs special attention with respect to its utility and its deteriorating water quality. The river is not just a matter of curiosity, but also of concern even for those far away from its banks, as not only it weaves diverse communities of India but also diverse nationalities. It has become a topic of discussion, debate, deliberation and research. Numerous databases, websites, blogs, reports, articles, books, videos, are full of facts and figures on the Ganges. It is very difficult for one author to cover the multidisciplinary aspects of the river in a single article. The idea of coming up with such a book was to be able to compile the expertise of some key persons who have worked on specific aspects of the Ganga river basin. I hope that this book will prove to be a useful insight into the scientific world of the holy river connecting students, experts, policy makers and common man. I also humbly hope that this book will also be a medium to create mass awareness, to ultimately help reach the goal of Aviral and Nirmal Ganga. Professor Department of Computer Science and Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India T.V. Prabhakar v

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7 Preface In his book Discovery of India, Jawaharlal Nehru says: The Ganges above all is the river of India, which has held India s heart captive and drawn uncounted millions to her banks since the dawn of history. The story of the Ganges, from her source to the sea, from old times to new, is the story of India s civilization and culture, of the rise and fall of empires, of great and proud cities, of adventures of man. In these few lines he said it all about the great mighty river gushing from the Himalayas of Nepal and India, through the great plains of India, to the world s biggest delta, straddling West Bengal and Bangladesh, where it merges with the Brahmaputra and Meghna. The Ganges river basin is one of the most fertile and densely populated region in the world draining a basin of extraordinary variation in altitude, climate, land use, flora and fauna, social and cultural life. It occupies a special position in the ethos of the people of India, arguably being the most sacred river in the world. No doubt the Ganga river is unique rightly deserving a national status. This is why the Government of India declared the holy river GANGA as a national river on 4 Nov Fourteen months later, on January 19, 2010, the critically endangered Ganges river dolphin was declared India s national aquatic animal. For the first time in the history of India, a river has been given this status. Rivers in general play a very important part in the water cycle acting as drainage channels for water surface carrying water and nutrients. Though in India every river is sacred, Ganga river is unique. Besides providing irrigation, food, habitat, energy, transport and attracting tourism, it has long been considered a holy river and as the mother goddess. It is tradition, culture, belief, devotion and celebration for the masses. Originating in the heavens the Ganga of mythology came down to earth from the Milky Way in a lock of the god Shiva s hair, thus becoming a sacred bridge between this world and the divine thereby opening the gateway to the next life. This is embodied in the death rituals of cremation followed by most Hindus. The beliefs of the people over the years have only got firmer and are perhaps well justified as the Ganga water possess the purifying qualities saturated with viruses killing harmful bacteria. vii

8 viii Preface Perception of the Ganga river Basin are always different depending on the individual and his or her mindset. No two communities would ever look at it from the same viewpoint. For a scientist it s a hub of research, and for a sage a place of worship. A connect between mythology and the physical attributes of Ganga is complex as scientists, industrialists, religious leaders all look at her from their different perspectives. A deeper and more comprehensive framework is perhaps the only way to grasp the complexities of the issues confronting this river. The river is one of my favorite metaphors, the symbol of the great flow of life itself; an integral part of my childhood memories. Bowing to Ganga as a mark of respect came naturally to me. The very sight and touch of Ganga water fills me with immense pleasure and calm. Early years of my life whilst at Allahabad I was exposed to the serene beauty and calmness of nature s creation. The latter half of my life I was destined to be again near Ganga but at Kanpur. Here the very sight of my beloved Ganga was very disturbing. It has slowly aged and is no more able to maintain its health and clearly is in need of treatment. Age is undoubtedly catching up with me, but far more so with Ganga! I see the free flowing happy Ganga, my childhood companion for so long now, being used and abused at Kanpur. Though as a child I was mystified by the vastness of the river, today as a scientist I wonder what keeps it going despite the enormous overdose of toxins it gets along its course. I wonder what its saturation capacity is and I do wonder for how long it can keep on taking the poison. Will it be able to recuperate itself and be back to its happy flowing stage or will it keep ageing under neglect and insensitivities of its users and even worshippers? As a scientist I may claim to understand the complexities involved with the river and may even try to shrug off the mythological beliefs attached to it. But as a Ganga user how can I deny the immense peace it gives me every time I go near it, every time I take a dip in it? There is something sacred, something mystifying, something intriguing, something special about my bond with the mighty river. I cannot reconcile the scientific aspect of Ganga with the mythological beliefs of people. In terms of understanding Ganga, it is just impossible to come to a common consensus. The paradox is How can so many millions take a holy dip in the river believing that it will wash away their sins yet at the same time use it for drainage/sewage and pollute it to highly threatening levels that will eventually lead to its demise? It is both the subject of human worship as well as the object of human indifference. The problems associated with Ganga may be many but then so are the solutions, but only if realisation dawns on us. We cannot continue to use it and then abuse it with disdain. Recently, the Ganga is facing numerous threats originating from human activity throughout its Ganga s basin. Organic pollution from domestic sewage, industrial effluents, and hazardous chemicals from non-point sources of agriculture and health sectors have seriously impacted water quality, aquatic biodiversity and human health. The Ganga ecosystem and its food-web must be viewed holistically with integrated and watershed perspectives. The river and its tributaries have not received proper attention from the researchers, policy makers and environmental managers in India.

9 Preface ix There is a plethora of information available on this river in the form of books, blogs, articles, websites, videos and what not. But unfortunately, most of it is in a scattered form and the need to get the basic yet already available information on Ganga under one umbrella was strongly felt. This book was conceived with this objective in mind and the first introductory chapter is an effort in this direction. Part I (two chapters) gives a basic introduction to the cultures about Ganga water in the subcontinent. The existing data and available information from various sources have been compiled in a pictorial fashion in the form of knowledge models in the introductory chapter. Its cultural importance with changing times has also been discussed. It includes information on the catchment, hydrology, tributaries, water uses, and environmental features such as river water quality, aquatic and terrestrial flora/ fauna, natural resources, ecological characteristics, sensitive environmental components and many other features. Part II (three chapters) looks at the rich biodiversity of Ganga basin. It gives a detailed description of the major floral and faunal biodiversity with special emphasis on the two aquatic indicator species Gharial and Dolphin. In particular, understanding the role and ecological importance of Sunderbans, the largest mangrove wetland in the world, with respect to impact and management of land and water resources is discussed in details. Part III (four chapters) examines The Ganga Water as it flows. The water quality as well as the challenges associated with the specific ecological qualities of the Ganga system. Part IV (four chapters) looks at the complexities of issues confronting the river Ganga in changing times, be it snowmelt runoff, river bank erosion hazard and hydropower assessments with Population, Poverty and Pollution being an integral part of this big change. Part V (two chapters) touches some aspects of the livelihoods and tourism along the river. The intention here is to explore the complex relationships between river resources and livelihoods with interrelations and connections across various Ganga aspects. Part VI includes Ganga as perceived by Some Ganga Experts. This is the voice of some Ganga lovers who have worked on issues concerning the river and feel passionately bonded to the river. Ganga system has inadvertently also become the source for intense debates about river benefits, ownership, entitlements and even legal jurisdiction. Through the development of new concepts, significant advances have been made towards understanding the dynamics of the river system. Today the major challenge is to integrate the secondary dataset with current findings in order to develop a holistic understanding of the river dynamics. Though India s culture and commonsensical folk wisdom could suggest solutions that are more in tune with the Indian psyche, as well as costing a great deal less money, it remains to be seen whether new engineering can offer different possibilities. This compilation is just an effort to bring together the work of some experts on one common platform. Through the lens of basin interdependence, it has been a challenge to map the relative informational and conceptual Ganga river resources and bring together the experts in their respective areas of expertise. By evaluating the common present realities of accepting that river flow is a geo-morphological and dynamic process, the experts have also explored different strategies for harnessing

10 x Preface the Ganga system by providing information relevant to their area of expertise. Though it was not possible to cover all the aspects of the vast river system, an attempt has been made to cover the major aspects ranging from cultural, biodiversity, hydrology to livelihood and tourism. As late as the 1950s, the Thames flowing through London was an open sewer; called The Great Stink yet, by mid-1970s, the river was restored to its pristine glory, after the clean-up campaign that began in This book is put together and conceived not only to bring to clarity the issues and challenges facing our national river but to also inspire us to join hands as One to restore, protect, and maintain Mother Ganga and Her tributaries, our national heritage and identity. If Thames can do it why not Ganga which is worshipped by millions. The future of our Ganga Ma is in our hands and we cannot just let it disappear in the times to come. The authors views are reflected in their respective chapters as they have tried their best to come up with updated contents which will help the readers to increase their knowledge database on many aspects of the river. Kanpur, India Rashmi Sanghi (Editor)

11 Acknowledgements The time has come to express my gratitude to all those who were the motivating factors behind the making of this book. It is an outcome of the blessings of many people, and it may not be even possible to name and thank all of them. During my long Ganga journey I met many interesting personalities and Ganga lovers, who truly inspired me. They have been contributing to the cause of protecting Ganga in many ways; by taking on the government, cleaning the dirty ghats, organizing rallies and outreach programs, and even going on a fast. As for my contribution via this project, I took an easier road perhaps. But at the end of this journey, I feel charged to take up more difficult challenges in the future. I can already visualize Aviral and Nirmal Ganga and the role played by me in the near future. I owe my presence in this project to Dr. Vinod Tare who is the man entrusted with the Ganga mission. His positive energies were like a recharge for me, every time I met him. Prof. T. V. Prabhakar is the mentor behind the inception and conception of this book. Without his contribution to the design and development of this book, it would not now exist, and just mere thanks and acknowledgement are not enough. I am intrigued by his spontaneity and multitasking which is what makes him a visionary. He was always there to guide me, encouraging and pushing me forward with his great ideas. At this point, I just hope I have lived up to his expectations, and if not I wish I get another chance to do so. The contributors of this book are more than those visible in the book. Some could contribute in the form of chapters, but some who could not made contributions in the form of suggestions and requisite feedback. I wish to thank all my contributors for their time, patience and understanding. But overall, I received a very enthusiastic positive response from all those I approached. There are some whom I regret for not being able to approach at the right time. It would be a matter of great honor to be able to work with them later at some point of my life. My special thanks to Mr. Suresh Babu and Mr. Nitin Kaushal (WWF) for their unflinching support and timely inputs. I also thank Julian for his extra critical comments and zeal with which he reviewed my chapter selflessly. Mr. Rakesh Jaiswal (Eco friends) was equally supportive, as also Ms. Archana Tadinada, whom I really wanted to rope in this project and who I think would have done full justice to the xi

12 xii Acknowledgements theme of the book. She was with me at the beginning of the project, and oblivious to her, I managed to extract her positive energies which were much needed in the long journey I had undertaken. The Parmath Niketan (Rishikesh) family, full of love not just for Ganga and her lovers, deserves a special mention. I observed the sevaks and sevikas, both with amazement and wonder and imagine myself as one of them someday serving Ganga selflessly. They all were a big help in preserving and refining my vision of the book. Most importantly, I wish to thank to my Gangapedia team Neelam and Shashank for carrying out all the odd jobs at all the odd times. Meeta, Shalini, Tulika and my other office colleagues for their assistance and encouragement in the making of the Gangapedia. They were all constantly providing strong background support to me. Last, but not the least to my family. My husband for his endless patience and for holding the fort at home. Surabhi my 14 year old daughter, her inputs to beautify the book; she even offered to write a poem for the same. My son Udit (10 years) was like a sudden storm, making me jump out of the seat, I was so often glued to, and come back to reality. My parent s blessings I always take for granted and I hope to get their prayers answered by making them proud one day. My sister Sweety, who was instrumental in inculcating this love for the mighty river. My friend Prof. Sudhir Jain for his very useful inputs and critical comments which helped me improvise immensely. His relentless persuasion and belief in my abilities is treasured. I do hope this book will be a good connect between the Ganges and its people. Rashmi Sanghi (Editor)

13 Contents Part I Introduction to Ganga 1 Introduction to Our National River Ganga via cmaps... 3 Rashmi Sanghi and Nitin Kaushal 2 Ganga Our Endangered Heritage Subhajyoti Das Part II Rich Biodiversity of Ganga Basin 3 Distribution of Major Floral and Faunal Diversity in the Mountain and Upper Gangetic Plains Zone of the Ganga: Diatoms, Macroinvertebrates and Fish Prakash Nautiyal, Jyoti Verma, and Asheesh Shivam Mishra 4 Indicator Species (Gharial and Dolphin) of Riverine Ecosystem: An Exploratory of River Ganga Sandeep Kumar Behera, Hari Singh, and Viveksheel Sagar 5 Sundarban Mangroves: Impact of Water Management in the Ganga River Basin Malavika Chauhan and Brij Gopal Part III Ganga Water Quality and Flows 6 Nature s Cure of the Ganga: The Ganga-Jal Devendra Swaroop Bhargava 7 Water Quality Challenges in Ganga Basin, India Ramesh Chandra Trivedi 8 Issues and Challenges of River Ganga B.D. Tripathi and Smriti Tripathi xiii

14 xiv Contents 9 Environmental Flows for River Ganga Nitin Kaushal Part IV Some Vital Challenges Being Faced by Ganga in Changing Times 10 Snow Melt Runoff Status in Part of Ganga Basin Praveen K. Thakur 11 River Bank Erosion Hazard Study of River Ganga, Upstream of Farakka Barrage Using Remote Sensing and GIS Praveen K. Thakur 12 The Developments, Policies and Assessments of Hydropower in the Ganga River Basin Kelly D. Alley 13 3Ps (Population, Poverty and Pollution) and the Pious Poor Ganga Niraj Kumar Part V Livelihood and Tourism 14 Living Out of Ganga: A Traditional Yet Imperiled Livelihood on Bamboo Post Harvest Processing and Emerging Problems of Ganga Dipankar Ghorai and Himadri Sekhar Sen 15 E-Flows Related Livelihood in the Ganga River: A Case Study of Tourism Murali Prasad Panta Ganga as Perceived by Some Ganga Lovers Mother Ganga s Rights Are Our Rights India Lives, If Ganga Lives A Long Love Affair What and Where Is Ganga?

15 Contents xv Appendices Appendix 1: The 108 Names of the Ganges (Gangastottara-sata-namavali) Appendix 2: List of Books on River Ganga as Compiled from Internet Sources Appendix 3: List of Ganga Festivals Held on the Ganga River (Compilation from Various Internet Sources) Authors Biography Index

16 The mighty Himalayas: As viewed from Kedarnath (Courtesy Rashmi Sanghi)