Jagriti Rahi, Social Activist, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Activists in Varanasi and the whole of the Eastern Zone began their work with the minor tributaries of the Ganga in Uttar Pradesh, especially Varuna and Asi, which originate at Phulpur in the Prayagraj district and merge into the Ganga near Sarai Mohana in the Varanasi district. In Varanasi, it is called the PanchGanga. Money has been invested in the making of the Ghats here, and then the waterways project has been outlined. Prior to the Namami Ganga, there other projects focused on cleaning the Ganga, in which a hefty amount was invested. There were several innovative technical developments in the name of the Ganga, but they did not deliver the expected results. The Ganga is almost in the same situation as the Teesta and Narmada. After Tehri, Ganga has dried up. The water which comes from Betwa and Chambal is in jeopardy as well. Under the waterways project, dams from Kolkata to Allahabad would be operative, and ships would sail on that waterway. The neighbouring banks of Ganga are in the process of being purchased here. Supersession is practised in the river itself, in the name of temples. The direction of the flow of the Ganga has been artificially changed as per the desired route. The planning to build river fronts is also done.

There are sewers and gutters, which drain into the Ganga, and the

“In Varanasi alone, of approximately 350 Minimum Liquid Discharge (MLD) drained into the Ganga, not even 150 MLD is filtered, and this is when the capacity limit has been increased. There are more than 90 gutters here alone, which are to be diverted, and yet most of them drain into the Ganga.

Conversation 8 | Onslaught on Rivers: People’s Struggles for Ecological Justice

money which has been invested in the cleaning of the river is not leading to the desired outcome. In Varanasi alone, of approximately 350 Minimum Liquid Discharge (MLD) drained into the Ganga, not even 150 MLD is filtered, and this is when the capacity limit has been increased. There are more than 90 gutters here alone, which are to be diverted, and yet most of them drain into the Ganga. This region is now considered to be a priority and falls unofficially under the Central Government’s jurisdiction, as the PM’s candidate is the CM of the state. The Asi river has been declared a gutter in official documentation. When Modi ji visited the region, he said that Ganga Ma has called us, and along with Uma Bharti we would row shikaras in the Asi river. But in truth, the river is nonexistent. He went to the river bank of Asi, which is in fact now the grave of the river, and began the campaign. The situation has not improved, it has worsened.

There was a corridor built in Varuna, to ensure the cleanliness of the river, and even there the situation has not improved. A few ghats have been cleaned for show, for tourism, but no one is genuinely concerned with the health of the river, and they do not even intend to clean the rivers.

Neither the Centre nor the State came forward to take charge of rebuilding the dams or reviving the policies which could ensure the life of the rivers. The government has promised to bring cruises to Varanasi, but the rivers do not have enough water to sustain such ships, and the government is not letting the boat owners row their boats in the free waters. To show off, they have introduced solar energy, and have cancelled the permits of diesel-run boats. They are distancing people from the ghats and rivers.

So much money has been granted for the project, but they do not hire labourers on a permanent basis. Instead, they hire them on contractual basis, and shut their mouths for a while whenever they demand fair treatment. One of the main issues we face has to do with the fact that the middle class, media, bureaucrats, officials, engineers and the lobbies of contractors have not built awareness of these issues. If we fail to make them understand the environmental perils and if we do not convince them about the needs of the people, the fight becomes even more cumbersome and we will fail to attain the desired results.

Manshi Asher draws attention to the way religious fundamentalism and hollow pretentious narratives emerge, using people’s religious sentiments towards the river, while the basic issues are not even addressed publicly. “ One of the main issues we face has to do with the fact that the middle class, media, bureaucrats, officials, engineers and the lobbies of contractors have not built awareness of these issues. If we fail to make them understand the environmental perils and if we do not convince them about the needs of the people, the fight becomes even more cumbersome and we will fail to attain the desired results.

“Technological fundamentalism, has so been inscribed onto our brains that we feel that every solution and answer lies in digitisation.

For a while, these technologies distract from the cause of the problem, but nothing works in the long run, and we realise we have not made any progress at all.

At the same time, there is technological fundamentalism, which has so been inscribed onto our brains that we feel that every solution and answer lies in the digitisation. For a while, these technologies distract from the cause of the problem, but nothing works in the long run, and we realise we have not made any progress at all. The project on inland waterways brings up also the issue of the project on interlinking of rivers. They are significant plans which the people protest against.