Tapasya - Prof. G.D.Agarwal's Fast-unto-Death

Citizens for Green Doon, Members visited Matrisadan and given their support to Dr. Agrawal

2010-07-24T23:58:00.000-07:00

Citizens for Green Doon, Members with Dr. GD Agrawal

To day Citizens for Green Doon, Members visited Matrisadan and given their support to Dr. Agrawal. Members who visited Matrisadan are NITIN Pandey,Laksha Mehta,RUCHI SINGH RAO, ANJALI BHATIYA, HIMANSHU ARORA, ANISH LAL, SAGAR WALIA, DHRUV MEHTA, KARTIK WALIA, MANAS MEHTA, HIMANSHU ARORA, HARMINDER SINGH, SONIA PANDEY, SWARAJ MEHTA, SHUBENDRA SINGH, MRS. BHANDRI, DR. POONAM MAITHANI.

Prof. G D Agrawal, Resumed his Fast unto Death from 20 July 2010

2010-07-24T23:53:00.001-07:00

Jagatguru Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand and Swami Ramdev Offer Support to Dr. G.D. Agrawal

Jagatguru Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand of Dwarkapeeth sent his personal emissary Swami Dharanand to convey his support to Dr. G.D. Agrawal whose third fast-unto-death to ensure the natural flow in river Bhagirathi (Ganga) from Gangotri to Uttarkashi entered its second day. Yesterday Swami Ramdev spent an hour in the evening with Dr. Agrawal and offered his full support.

In a letter to Shri Sushil Kumar Shinde, Union Minister for Power, Dr. Agrawal said that he had discontinued his last fast on February 19, 2009 after receiving an assurance from the Ministry that work on the Loharinag-Pala barrage would be suspended. Yet the government had decided to resume construction of the project without consulting him at any point in the past 17 months. “I am deeply hurt by this secretive and mischievous attitude of your Ministry,” wrote Dr. Agrawal.

An Action Committee of Dr. Agrawal’s supporters in New Delhi has received messages from Ganga devotees preparing to organize fasts and satyagrahas in different parts of India to lend support to Dr. Agrawal. “We are meeting on Saturday, July 24^th in New Delhi to organize action in support of Dr. Agrawal,” said Ms. Madhu Kishwar of Manushi.

Haaye Ram Teri Ganga Bahut Maili

2009-08-13T08:24:00.000-07:00

Haaye Ram Teri Ganga Bahut Maili

“Over 14 million liters of raw sewage with floating fecal matter flow into the Ganga every day at Haridwar from just two drains,” said Dr. Anil Gautam, Head, Environmental Quality Monitoring Group at People’s Science Institute (PSI) in Dehra Doon. Dr. Gautam was releasing the results of a survey undertaken by his team in Haridwar last month. (See attached data sheet.) These drains are at Lalta Rao bridge (S-3 in the map) and at Jwalapur (S-5).

It may be recalled that in response to a question in the Vidhan Sabha last month, Shri B.S. Chufal, Uttarakhand’s Minister for Environment emphatically declared that no sewage flows directly into the Ganga at any point.

According to Shri R.K. Joshi of the Ganga Pollution Control Unit in Haridwar six major drains and over a dozen small ones empty straight into the River Ganga at Haridwar. PSI’s team measured the effluents quality at nine outfalls (marked S-1 to S-9 on the map). “These drains carry about 20 tons of organic matter, almost 37.5 tons of suspended solids and about 24,000 trillion fecal coliform into the river every day and pollute it,” says Dr. Gautam. “It is amazing that the quality of effluents coming out of the Sewage Treatment Plant at Jagjeetpur (S-9) is almost the same as that of the untreated effluents flowing into the Ganga from the other drains,” he added.

Drain S-1, upstream of Har-ki-Pauri, releases about 2.4 million liters per day (MLD) into the Ganga. These effluents contain 31.3 million fecal coliform per 100 ml. and a BOD content of 140 mg/liter. This is a serious health hazard for millions of devotees who bathe at the Ghats and perform other rituals. The situation is critical since over 50 million devotees are expected to visit Haridwar during the Maha Kumbh next year to bathe in the river. It is still not clear if any of the Rs.400 crores special grant from the Central Government will be spent on ensuring that the river is pollution free during the mela.

Everyday the nine drains studied release over 80 million liters of wastewater into the river. The fecal coliform count in these drains ranges from 11.79 to 51.79 million/100ml. and the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) varies between 80 to 465 mg/l. The BOD values obtained from all the sites are much higher than the standard limit of 30 mg/l set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for treated waste water. The BOD value of the treated wastewater released into the Ganga from the sewage treatment plant at Jagjeetpur, set up under the Ganga Action Plan, is 180 mg/l, six times higher than CPCB’s standard limit.

Word Count: 444

For further information please contact: Dr. Anil Gautam, 9412176896 (M)

Mr. Pavitra Singh, 9410706109 (M)

Water Quality of sewer drains joining the River Ganga at Haridwar

Site Code

Location

Parameters

BOD (mg/l)

COD (mg/l)

TSS (mg/l)

FC,(million/100 ml)

Daily discharge (MLD)

S-1

Sewer drain before fall out into the Ganga Canal d/s of LokNath Ghat

140

240

70

31.29

2.4

S-2

Laltarao bridge Nala fall out into Ganga d/s Gujrala Bhawan

205

320

2235

41.09

8.6

S-3

Sewer drain fall out into Lalatarao bridge Nala come from Vishnu Bhawan side

239

348

480

21.89

2.0

S-4

Kassaban Nala, Jwalapur *

270

520

80

29.98

17

S-5

Sewer drain at Jwalapur *

465

720

523

34.68

12.4

S-6

BHEL Nala at Jwalapur *

190

280

164

35.69

13.8

S-7

Ranipur drain d/s Sanskrit Bhawan ,Ranipur mod

145

235

105

51.79

5.1

S-8

Jagjeetpur Nala near Matri Sadan fall out into Ganga river

80

120

18

11.79

S-9

Jagjeetpur STP final out let before confluence with the River Ganga

180

400

356

30.89

18 (as per STP capacity)

Abbreviations: BOD-Biological Oxygen Demand, COD-Chemical Oxygen Demand, TSS-Total Suspended Solids, FC-Fecal Coliform, MLD- million liter per day

* Drainages are falling into upper Ganga Canal

source: Peoples' Science Institute, 252/I Vasant Vihar, Dehra Doon 248006, Uttarakhand. INDIA

phone: +91 135 2773849; 2763649, fax: +91 135 2763186, 2762516, psiddoon@gmail.com, psiddoon@rediffmail.com

Update

2009-08-03T04:04:00.001-07:00

Dr.G.D. Agrawal to Resume Fast-Unto-Death

Blames Governmental Deception

You will recall that Dr. Agrawal called off his first fast on the 18^th day, June 30, 2008 after the Government of Uttarakhand promised in writing to suspend work on the Bhairon Ghati (380 MW) and Pala-Maneri (480 MW) hydropower projects (HPPs) on the Bhagirathi river (See map in attachment “Saving River Ganga”) and the Government of India gave a written commitment “to ensure perennial environmental flows in all stretches of River Bhagirathi and to keep it alive.” Charging the Government of India with reneging on this solemn commitment Dr Agrawal resumed his fast-unto-death a second time on January 14, 2009. He broke this fast on the 38^th day, February 20, 2008 when the GoI gave a written commitment to suspend all work on the Loharinag-Pala HPP with immediate effect.

Unfortunately, however, work on the Loharinag-Pala HPP, has been continuing in full swing in the last few months. This is despite a judgement passed by the Nainital High Court on May 18, 2009 vacating an earlier stay on the GOI’s order of Feb 19^th to stop work on the dam. The Court’s suggestion that the GoI appoint a Committee of Experts within one month to review the issue of construction of dams on the Bhagirathi river and make its recommendations to the newly formed Ganga River Basin Authority in another two months has been totally ignored. No Committee has been formed till now. The Government of Uttarakhand, on the other hand, has begun work on constructing a road for the Pala-Maneri dam. Officials of the state run Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (UJVNL) have recently claimed to have received a green signal from the Centre to go ahead with the construction of its two suspended dams.

It is a fairly common tactic of governments, to make reassuring promises to protesters in order to get them to give up their protests. But as the media attention dissipates and the protests fade from public memory, they go back on their word. A similar breach of trust has compelled Dr. G.D. Agrawal to consider a fast-unto-death again to ensure that the river Bhagirathi flows in its natural form between Gangotri and Uttarkashi.

The state and central governments are trying to tire out Dr. Agrawal and us, his supporters. They intend to wear us out and build the dams. If we are serious about ensuring that the Ganga flows in its natural form, in the only stretch that is still pristine, then we will have to show that our opposition to the proposed dams is untiring. We do not oppose all hydropower projects. But we do believe that hydropower generation must only be done in a manner that is safe and sustainable for society and the environment (See “Saving River Ganga”).

Mail from Sr. Ravi Chopra, Peoples' Science Institute

2009-08-03T04:03:00.001-07:00

PLEASE DO NOT IGNORE THIS MAIL. THE GANGA AND DR. G.D AGRAWAL'S LIFE DEPEND ON YOUR POSITIVE SUPPORT.

Dear All:

I am writing to inform you of Dr. G.D. Agrawal’s recent decision to sit on a fast-unto-death for a third time within 15 months to ensure that the river Bhagirathi is allowed to flow in its natural form between Gangotri and Uttarkashi. (See attachment 1 for an update)

I am sure that you are keen to save the Ganga and Dr. Agrawal’s life. Sometimes we lose heart even before we begin the fight, thinking that we cannot make an impact. But look at what GD’s fasts and our efforts have forced the governments to do so far:

• The GoI has notified Ganga as India’s National River. We should now demand that its pristine Gaumukh-Gangotri-Uttarkashi stretch be declared as a Protected Zone where the river flows in its natural form. This is similar to the concept of declaring all the tiger (India’s National Animal) habitats as Protected Areas (National Parks or Sanctuaries). Killing or mutilating tigers is a punishable offence. Similarly, disturbing the pristine character of the Bhagirathi should also be a punishable offence.

• The GoI has accepted the concept of releasing environmental flows downstream of dams on the Bhagirathi to sustain its ecology and societal needs. This can be a major precedent for all Indian rivers.

• In a letter to Dr. Agrawal dated February 5, 2009 the Union Ministry of Power wrote, “The Govt of India confirmed that no further hydro projects shall be undertaken on river Bhagirathi.” (This statement, however, is ambiguous. It is not clear whether it also includes the still to be built/completed Bhairon Ghati, Loharinag-Pala and Pala-Maneri projects).

• Even as I write to you talks are going on at the highest level to get Dr. Agrawal to call off the fast.

It is clear, therefore, that we can make our protests count!

I urge you to express your support for them as strongly as you can. You can do the following activities:

• Forward this email and the attachments to as many people as possible and raise awareness on this issue.

• We have attached a list of addresses of prominent persons to whom you could write a letter and demand some action to be taken

on this issue.(See attachment 3). You may excerpt material from the attachment 1 and 2

• Certainly send such mails to MPs and the newsmedia.

• Organize at least a symbolic fast in support of GD, even if it is for a day, in your area and involve as many people as possible.

Don’t forget to inform the media. We must let the governments know that there is widespread support for the Ganga and Dr. Agrawal’s protest.

• Write to Dr. Agrawal personally in a show of support or meet him if you can.

• If you do any of the above, please keep us informed.

Sincerely

Ravi Chopra

---------------------------------------------
Peoples' Science Institute
252/I Vasant Vihar, Dehra Doon 248006
Uttarakhand. INDIA

phone: +91 135 2773849; 2763649
fax: +91 135 2763186, 2762516
psiddoon@gmail.com
psiddoon@rediffmail.com

Press Release, 7 July 2009

2009-07-29T05:26:00.000-07:00

Muzaffarnagar

07 July, 2009

Press Release

The state government of Uttarakhand promised immediate suspension of all works on the two projects Bhairoghati and Pala-Maneri in its letter of 19^thJune, 2008 and expressed its full commitment for conservation of River Bhagirathi in its natural form ‘from Gangotri to Uttarakashi’. However construction work on the projects (particularly on Pala Maneri project) leading to destroy Gangaji is going on in full swing. The above makes all assurances to us and to Maa Gangaji look as mere jokes.

The Government of India committed immediate stoppage of all work on its project Loharinag-Pala in its letter on 19^th February, 2009. But the construction work on the site has gone on un-stopped and on an accelerated speed. This again is an act of cruel deceipt.

The Prime Minister ‘s office emphasized in its press release on 4^th November,2008, that Ganga ji has a special place in the hearts and minds of all Indians and that the emotional link needs to be recognized and took initiative to notify Gangaji as the National River of India. Earlier to this, the prime minister expressed in presence of Param Pujniya Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swaroopa Nand ji that he regards Ganga ji as his mother and later stated toParam Pujniya Swami Tejomayanand ji that Ganga ji is the soul of India and assured his full commitment to conserve Ganga ji. But government system is showed the same disregard and totally ignored the holy emotions of the Prime minister as it had earlier done with emotions, plans and orders of Late Prime Minister Rajeev Gandhi. It is interesting to note that no official ever gets punished for this type of serious offense in the government system. How the super powerful the bureaeratic structure is!

The order of Nani Tal High Court on 18^th May,2009 gave clear directions to the Secretary in Ministry of Forest and Environment, Government of India in his capacity of Ex-Officio Member Secretary of National River Ganga Authority to either take a clear decision on the construction work of Lohari Nag Pala Project going on or to constitute an Expert Committee to advise on this matter within four weeks ( till 15^th June ,2009) . But government machinery operates only under pressure of group interests, which this dose can not entail. What can the High Court or Gnagaji do? Why should they worry?

I have been trying for the last four weeks to be able to communicate my message and the situation over Gangaji to the Prime Minister. I did receive on several times sympathy and assurances but finally with no success even in these efforts to communicate. Finding this environment full of false hoods, deceipts and controlled by petty materialistic vested interests, having no place for emotional cultural bonds and thus foreing one to mutely, watch the destruction of our national cultural identity that Gangaji is, to be totally unbearable, I have decided to resume my "Indefinite Fast Unto-Death" from Aug 5, 2009.
(Dr. G. D. Agrawal)
For Further information please contact-
Dr. Anil gautam-9412176896,
Pavitra Singh- 9410706109
Email- bhagirathibachaosankalp@gmail.com, pavitrapsi@gmail.com

Resuming Fast unto death on 5th August 2009

2009-07-08T02:54:00.001-07:00

Dear All,

Dr. GD Agrawal An ex IIT proffesor and former member secretory of CPCB New Delhi, Committed fast Unto death to conserve River Bhagirathi. He started his fast 13 June, 08 and he got a written asurance by Uttarakhand goverment to stop all the State projects on river Bhagirathi. But that was not the end of his struggle he shifted to Delhi and in 30 June, 08 Central Government of India also Assured him not to built Dam in river Bhagirathi. Gov. ordered Chairman of NTPC to constitute a committee For the conservation of River Bhagirathi Ganga. But the member of committee lacks the indepth knowlege for the conservation of River Bhagirathi . So Dr. Agrawal again resumed his fast unto death in 14 Jan 2009 to 20th Feb 2009. During this period Dr. Agrawal again assured by GOI that there will be no further Dams in The Ganga. The same Decision is also given by Nainital High Court but Work in all projects in Bhagirathi River is in Full Swing so Dr. Agrawal Has decided to Resume his fast unto death again from 5 th August 2009.
Being his student I am Worried about his health, so I am requesting you to cooperate him in this noble cause of Ganga ji. I am also attaching his recent Press note for the kind attention of Media.

Thanks
--
Pavitra Singh
Research Scientist
Environmental Quality Monitoring Group
People,s Science Institute, Dehradoon
Ph. Dehradoon 0135-2762516
mo. 09410706109

Gahmar declaration 2009

2009-06-05T03:32:00.000-07:00

Gahmar, in Ghazipur District Uttar Pradesh was chosen as the venue for the Ganga Convention because it is mid-way from its source Gomukh to Gangasagar, where she flows into the Bay of Bengal. The various issues, problems and opinions that were discussed and deliberated upon at the Two-day Convention have been summarised thus, in this Declaration.

GAHMAR GANGA DECLARATION 2009

1. On Ganga Dussera (2^nd June 2009), Gangotsav was celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervour at this village. The Jal Biradari resolves to celebrate this day as an annual River Day Utsav, to commemorate all rivers across the country.

2. After declaring Ganga as the National River and setting up of the Ganga River Basin Authority, it is the duty of the civil society to take up this responsibility and support the Government. Keeping this in mind, the Ganga Jal Biradari is the people’s arm, for the cause.

3. The Ganga Jal Biradari shall be a National Level association, but its basic functioning unit shall be at the Gram Panchayat level.

4. The structural functioning at the Gram Panchayat level has been categorised according to the geo-cultural diversity of the region. The Ganga Jal Biradari of every region shall work locally for those issues which are of primary importance in that region, and collectively towards protection and conservation of the Ganga.

They are: i.Himalayan Region (Gomukh to Haridwar)

ii.Tarai Region (Haridwar to Hardoi)

iii.Central Ganga plain

iv.Ganga Flood Plain

v. Farakka

vi. Howrah -Kolkata

vii. Gangasagar

5. The first Gram Panchayat level Ganga Jal Biradari has been constituted in Gahmar with immediate effect.

6. It is resolved to develop the Gahmar unit as a role model for all villages to contribute towards Ganga’s restoration.

7. The Gahmar unit will address the Ganga’s main problems of soil erosion, pollution and over-exploitation, and show the way for all villages to deal with local problems of waste management, water crisis and erosion at the village level.

8. The Ganga Janadesh, constituting the people’s mandate for resolving Ganga’s problems was finalised. It was proposed to conduct a series of Ganga yatras in the coming times to give effect to the 27-point plan (see Attachment) and bring about awareness amongst the community, Government authorities and public representatives.

9. Each region shall investigate and identify the local factors causing problems related to the Ganga. Solutions shall then be devised keeping in mind the geo-cultural diversity of that particular region.

10. This Convention rejects outright the proposed ‘Inter-linking of Rivers’ Project of the Government of India as being violative of the Laws of Nature. Instead of artificially linking our rivers the Convention strongly advocates to link the people with the rivers. A campaign will be initiated to prohibit any man-made linking of rivers. The Government also has to follow these principles. Only then will it be possible to work in unison with the all the other stakeholders for restoring the Ganga to its earlier pristine purity and sanctity.

Prof. G.D. Agarwal to resume fast-unto-death

2009-01-12T03:53:00.000-08:00

Got this mail from People Science Institute (PSI), Dehradun just now.

'...I would like to give you an information that Dr. GD Agrawal has decided to resume his Fast unto death from Jan 14, 09....'.

Sad to see that his earlier effort (and the response) could buy so little from the authorities.Keep watching this space for more information soon on this.

- ram

FLASH NEWS: Dr. G. D. Agarwal calls off his fast

2008-06-30T09:23:00.000-07:00

Just now heard that Prof. Agarwal has called off his fast. Will update more details once they are known. For now the petition goes into an 'need approval' mode...

A Modern Rishi - article by Nutan Thakur

2008-06-23T23:09:00.001-07:00

India used to be a land of Rishis and sages. We are the proud inheritors of the culture initiated and propagated by such legendary persons as Vishwamitra, Vashista, Narad, Yajnavalka, Agastya, Bhrigu, Durvasa, Garg, Jamini, Dadhichi, Kapil, Valmiki and Vyas. If we had Vishwamitra who could control his senses to an extent that only Menaka, the ultimate beauty, could affect her, we also had Vashista who dedicated his life to the society producing such brilliant and rare students like Rama, Laksman, Bharat and Shatrughna. If there was Valmiki who started his life as a dacoit and later got himself transformed into the immortal poet of one of the world’s oldest and best known epics, the Ramayana, we also have Narad, one of the most knowledgeable saints who was respected by one and all but also had the habit of putting in such words here and there that could prove explosive for the persons concerned. While Agastya Muni had the ability to drink the entire ocean when challenged, Vyas was a man who could write such contrasting notes as the wars at Kurukshetra and the Srimad Bhagwat Gita at the same time. Durvasa, a saint quite well known for his touchiness and sudden bursts of anger accompanied by such curses which not even the King of the Gods had the power to overcome was also one who, when pleased gave Kunti the boon which enabled her to have six unparalled sons each one of whom was second to none in valour and wisdom.

Then there was Dadhichi, the son of Atharvan, a saint who did not hesitate for a second when the situation so demanded and the Gods came to him begging for their survival as against Vrita, who had become the leader of the demons.

And why only the saints and the Rishis. Our land also has been witness to Bhagirath, a King of Kosala and the descendant of the Suryavanshi king Sagara. While due to some curse of the sage Kapila, sixty thousands of Sagara’s sons had turned into ashes and the empire was turning into a ruin, it was Bhagirath who took the vow to bring Ganga from the heaven as required for the penance of his ancestors to get fulfilled. Bhagirath went to the Himalayas and stayed there for years praying to the God almighty day and night. Such deep and committed was he to his vow that ultimately even the Gods had to relent before him. First came Brahma and then Lord Shiva and they were left with no option than to fulfill his demand of sending the river Ganga on the earth.

After so many years we have again come to a stage when the river Ganga is receding back. Due to the sins of the successive generations of mankind as regards themselves and as regards the nature and the environment ,the massive river is slowly turning into a pale shadow of what it used to be. The day is not very far away when we might be left only with the river bed where the river once used to be. So great is our greed and avarice that we seem to be totally ignoring the ill-effects of such a result. Blinded by our selfish intentions and personal motives, we seem to be thinking only in terms of materialistic comforts and monetary well-being. If we could have our way, we would even sell the entire river to people on per square feet basis to dry it and to form buildings on these dried plots.

The effects of such harmful, nonstop and ruinous actions have started being visible. The global climate change, ozone depletion, global warming, raising of water level, rapidly dwindling forests and the death of many kinds of flora and fauna are just a few samples of what we are to see in the successive years. But, even these are being able to open the eyes of the rich and the powerful who regard the nature and its resources as the products to be milked to the hilt in a use and throw manner.

It is because of this that we need a Bhagirath once again. We need a person who does not think in terms of money and land and personal comforts and cars and bank balance. We need some one who is equally adept in bookish as well as practical knowledge base. We need a man who has the heart of a saint and the brain of a scientist. We need a man who can avail of all the riches of the world and has had enough opportunities to do so, yet had the courage and conviction to leave it all to lead a simple and Spartan life in the most dedicated fashion because he thinks that India is a poor country where it is his duty to live as any other poor Indian.

How many such Indians we have around us today? How many of the engineering graduates of those days when the engineers were rare in number and were treated like kings do we have amongst us who studied at the best institutes in India and abroad at a time when most of the Indian could not even think of going to America? How many of them have the ability and firmness to go to a small place to live in and dedicate his life to the cause of tutoring the younger generation particularly when one is universally regarded as an expert of world fame in a highly complex technological field of very high demand?

It is these things that make Sri G D Agrawal so unique and venerated. It is these characteristics which add to his aura and give him a rare cadence. It is this which makes him different from so many ordinary mortals around us.
And when a man of such background and such features decides to put forth his live for a cause which he regards as worth it and goes all out for it, he is bound to create ripples. India can not ignore such a person nor can it overlook his act and its concerned ramifications. What Sri Agrawal has done has only raised his stature in the eyes of every citizen of India. His efforts have already started showing results. But like Bhagirath, Sri Agrawal does not believe in settling for half-measures. He is a man of different mettle. But, we all know that he will be successful in his cause. No government can ignore him nor can anyone risk any damage to a great soul like him.

We are all praying for his well-being and are also completely hopeful of his success in the endeavour so dear to him and so much the need of the hour.

Dr. Nutan Thakur, Editor, Nutan Satta Pravah
Lucknow

Press Release from Tarun Bharat Sangh and Jal Biradari

2008-06-22T22:16:00.000-07:00

New article by Pawan Kumar Gupta, SIDH, Mussoorie

2008-06-22T22:11:00.000-07:00

Dr. G.D. Agarwal thwarts Government emissary

2008-06-20T11:13:00.000-07:00

Bhagirathi Bachao Sankalp

Under the Banner of Indian Council for Enviro Legal Action (ICELA)

Kuriyal Bhawan, Bhairav Chowk, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand

Telefax: 01374-222937, E-mail:bhagirathibachaosankalp@gmail.com, Website: www.tapasya-bhagirathi.blogspot.com

For Immediate Press Release

June 20, 2008 DehraDoon/Uttarkashi

Dr. G.D. Agarwal thwarts Government emissary

Dr. G.D. Agrawal today told State Power Secretary Shatrughan Singh that even though the Government's recent decision to suspend work on two major power projects in the Bhagirathi valley was a welcome step in the right direction, he would not end his fast-unto-death until his demand of maintaining an unaffected flow of the river Bhagirathi between Gangotri and Dharasu, was acceded to by the Government.

In the morning, the Power Secretary Shatrughan Singh called on Dr. Agrawal and handed him an official letter containing decisions taken by the State Cabinet in a meeting held on June 19, 2008. During the talks, the Power Secretary urged Dr. Agrawal to end his fast-unto-death. Dr. Agrawal responded that the Government's decision to suspend work on two power projects namely 480 MW Pala-Maneri and 381 MW Bhairon Ghati projects was welcome but it did not fulfill his demand. “Dr. Agrawal also rejected all requests from the visiting Government emissary to end his fast-unto-death and said that more was required to be done to maintain an unobstructed flow of the River Bhagirathi in its 125 km stretch between Gangotri and Dharasu” said Shri Rajendra Singh, “Waterman” and Magsaysay award winner. Shri Singh has been camping in Uttarkashi in support of Dr. Agrawal’s fast-unto-death.

In a major development, Jagadguru Shakaracharya Swami Swarupananda Saraswati today arrived at Uttarkashi's Manikarnika Ghat and met Dr. Agrawal to extend his full support to the campaign. Yesterday, the Shankaracharya has sent letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Ms. Sonia Gandhi in support of Dr. Agrawal's campaign to save the river Bhagirathi.

Meanwhile, Dr. Agrawal's fast-unto-death in support of his demand continued for the eighth day today. Already, doctors have reported Dr. Agrawal's failing health condition. Yesterday, they had also collected his urine samples for examination and recommended kidney and liver tests.

Contact Persons:

Anil Gautam (Uttarkashi) 9412176896 (M)

Pavitra Singh (Uttarkshi) 9410706109 (M), 01374-222937 (O)

Ayan Biswas (Dehra Doon) 9411787232 (M)

News from Uttarkashi

2008-06-20T04:21:00.000-07:00

Please find news from Uttarkashi Ms. Pavitra Singh of PSI.

Get more upto date report in this website

2008-06-19T10:31:00.000-07:00

The ICELA website that has been set-up seems better placed and very comprehensive. Please refer to this website for details - http://icela.org/index.html

Fast-Unto-Death Day 5: Photo and report from Uttarkashi

2008-06-18T21:15:00.000-07:00

From the Dnyandeep blog by Suresh Ranade:
18-06-08 Five days after Dr. Agrawal started his fast unto death.

The feeling of agony and helplessness is building in the minds of all those who know Dr. Agrawal and his determination to continue fast. The response so far from government is discouraging creating anxiety about his deteriorating health as the day after day passes. Is there no other way to prevent unthinkable to happen. read further...

Photo courtesy Ms. Pavitra Singh, researcher with PSI currently handling the press work for the fast-unto-death by Prof. G.D. Agarwal at Uttarkashi. Contact: pavitrapsi@gmail.com

Fast starts: A report by Sri. Sagar Dhara

2008-06-13T17:21:00.000-07:00

13th June 2008
----------------
Dear friends,

The fast started 2 hours ago at the Mankanka Ghat on the banks of the gushing Bhagirathi River. Dr G D Agarwal is the person at the bottom left of the pix. The person to his right is Dr Rajendra Prasad, an environmental scientist, and in the top row (from right to left) are some purohit, Sundarlal Bahuguna and a senior Hindu sadhu. Not many local people have joined the proceedings yet.

Amongst the others who were there were: Paritosh Tyagi, ex-Chairman, CPCB, Rajendra Singh, Dr Ravi Chopra, Director, PSI, M C Mehta, environmental lawyer, Govindacharya, BJP member. About a 100-125 people from outside Uttarkashi have come. Amongst those who are there at the gathering, not everyone is supporting GD's cause because they believe the Ganga is sacred.

Please inform others that the fast has started and take whatever action you feel you ought to take regarding this issue.

Warmly,

Sagar

Meeting in Belgaum, 5th June 2008: Details

2008-06-03T03:06:00.000-07:00

Our Rivers Our Lifeline

Paryavarani and Parivartan, Belagum

Environment Day dedicated to our collective cultural wisdom

of revering natural systems

(June 5 2008 time 10-30 am to 4 pm Venue: Vidya Niketan School, Belgaum),

A day of fast observed in solidarity to prof. G D Agrawal’s decision to fast unto death starting Ganga Dashera, June 13,2008 in opposition to the mindless

meddling with River Bhagirathi upstream of Uttarkashi.

Programme:

10-30 am. Welcome and Introduction – Prof. S Y Prabhu

10-40 am. Prof. G D Agrawal and River Bagirathi : a background and overview –

Shri. Ravendra Kumar Saini.

11-00 am. Culture and Conservation: links in our traditional wisdom –

Shri. Dileep Kamat.

11-30 am. Why people say no to big dams – Shri. Mallikarjun Shetty.

12-00 Collective discussions.

12-30 pm Break/Rest.

Local Concerns:

1-00 pm. KIADB’s proposal to take over 501 acres of fertile agricultural land of

Gugeranatti, Bambarga and Budaramatti for diverting to Industry-

discussion led by Shri. Ashok Deshpande

2-00 pm. Peranawadi –Chorla State Highway –

concerns shared by Shri Shrihari Kugaji.

2-15 pm. Sahyadri Ecologicallay Sensitive Area –update by Nyla Coelho.

2-30 pm. Action Plan

3-00 pm. Press Meet.

(For details contact: Prof. S Y Prabhu – 9845680553, AshokDeshpande – 9449760511, Dileep Kamat -9448157588, Ravendra Saini – 9343814877,Amrut Charantimath- 9845735919, Nyla Coelho -9343413193)

Public meeting in Hyderabad, 7th June 2008

2008-06-02T23:27:00.000-07:00

PUBLIC MEETING

To discuss

Damming of the River Bhagirathi between Gangotri and Uttarkashi and Prof G D Agarwal's proposed fast unto death from 13 June against the damming

Saturday, 7^th June 2008, 5.30 pm

Urdu Hall, Himayatnagar

(While coming from Liberty on Himayatnagar Rd, take a right turn after HDFC Bank)

All are invited

Organized by

Cerana Foundation, Ecological Literacy Foundation, SEEDS, Shanti Foundation
For more information call 2753 6128
Background Note at: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dd7tn87f_1057dc3x8c6

Meeting with Prof. Agarwal in his home town...

2008-05-31T21:40:00.000-07:00

I want to inform you that a public meeting was held in Kandhla, distt muzaffarnagar (home town of Dr.G.D.Agrawal). in that meeting around 500 people of the town were present. Dr. sahib delivered a very emotional speech there (saying probably this is his last visit to kandhla). All the people were with Dr. Sahib and many of them will join him in uttarkashi.

thanks and regards

Abhishek Swaroop

Token Fast in Belgaum, Karnataka: 5th June 2008

2008-05-23T21:11:00.000-07:00

A group of friends of Prof. G.D. Agarwal have decided to observe a day of fast on the 5th June 2008 in Belgaum, Karnataka to draw attention to the issues that are being focussed by him in his fast-unto-death.

SANDRP Press Release on Hydro Projects in Sikkim

2008-05-22T04:35:00.000-07:00

PRESS RELEASE

Suspend Panang HEP for Five Years & take up small Hydro projects

May 20, 2008

The Independent Committee on Big Hydro Projects of Sikkim has over the last 4-5 days visited a Completed Public Sector Hydro Project like the 510 MW Teesta V HEP, the under construction private sector HEP like the 1200 MW Teesta III HEP and the Dzongo area, including the site of the proposed 280 MW Panang HEP.

We have talked with the affected people, elected representatives, project officials and contractors (Teesta III HEP), NGOs, Public Relations officer (Himagiri), visited the Central Water Commission office (Dzongu), we have gone through the official documents, data and clearance letters.

We are very concerned about the indefinite fast of the three activists of ACT, now in 72^nd day today, with the evident deterioration of the health of those on fast.

Broadly, we see that the Sikkim government, partly under pressure from the central govt, has hastily committed itself to develop large number (42 on last count) of big hydropower projects, without much consultation with Sikkim citizens, without considering the implications of the projects for the local people, environment, culture, future generations and even return on investment for the state and the people. It has also not seriously assessed the options available for electricity generation or options for development in general. This is evident in the way the Teesta V has been developed, the way Panang HEP MOU has been signed and Teesta III implementation has started.

For example, there is a huge potential of power generation in Dzongu & other regions of Sikkim through small and micro hydro projects. We were shocked to see that not a single small or micro hydro project has been developed in Dzongu region. In stead of assessing & realizing this potential, the govt has entered into an MOU with an unknown entity like the Himagiri for the 280 MW Panang HEP. This project will completely and permanently destroy the serene environment of the Dzongu, will destroy the culture, deeply affect the place with deep and unique religious sentiments and destroy the Lepcha Community's unique abode. The govt should rather suspend or declare moratorium on this project for at least 5 years and in the meantime take up the small and micro hydro HEPs in this region and also see the how the Teesta V and III (when completed) project performs.

Here it may be noted that the Panang Project still has not been given concurrence by the Central Electricity Authority under the Section 8 of electricity Act 2003. The project had applied for such a concurrence on Oct 17, 2006 and the application was returned without concurrence for lack of sufficient information on November 17, 2006. Without such a concurrence the work that has been now commenced on this project is illegal and should be stopped. This also exposes how improperly the projects are taken up in Sikkim.

On Teesta 3, the Teesta Urja Limited, the company that is developing the project has no track record on such projects. Here the govt should ensure that the company enters into and MOU with the affected communities to ensure that all possible impacts are avoided or minimised and properly compensated when unavoidable. The Environment management plan is implemented as required and local people benefit rather than suffer adverse impacts, as happens in all hydro projects. Complete videography of the houses, water sources, existing landslides and other structures should immediately be done to create a baseline data. The EIA-EMP should be translated in full in local language and made available. All this should be done before project is taken any further. If the project work continues without implementing all these steps, it would bring greater disaster than the Teesta V project, which has been a disaster as can be seen from the situation on ground.

All these steps should be implemented as a policy for all HEPs.

On Teesta V, it is important that the govt asks NHPC to institute credible independent review and resolution of the outstanding social and environmental issues in a time bound manner. We found that scores of houses have developed cracks, the water sources of the communities have dried up, the project site has been left ugly, without restoring the site as required and the tunnels are already leaking. We just found that the huge amount of silt has also been accumulated behind the dam already and the project had to stop generation of power for the last five days. The state govt should also penalise NHPC for not taking care of these problem before commissioning of the project. We also found from the affected people that there seems to be massive corruption in payments of compensations, unearthed by the affected people through RTI. In some cases, the affected people seem to have been paid Rs 5000/- when records show they have been paid Rs 35000/-. A credible independent investigation into this aspect is also urgently required.

We are glad that the Chief Minister of Sikkim has declared in the assembly the Teesta IV project, earlier awarded to NHPC, would be scrapped. NHPC could have created greater havoc in the fragile geology of Teesta IV area, beside destroying the sanctity of Dzongu region. We also are happy to note that the Sikkim Cabinet has decided to scrap four of the five other HEPs proposed in the Dzongu area. We hope the Sikkim CM will show statesmanship by suspending the Panang HEP for at least five years immediately to protect and preserve the sanctity of the Dzongu area.

For other proposed Big HEPs, the Sikkim govt should take a pause, initiate a credible independent commission with participation of ACT and other concerned groups and persons. It is also important to study the credibility of EIAs, the siltation rates in Teesta basin, the downstream impacts, the cumulative impacts, the incidents of flash floods, requirement of minimum water flows and floodflows in the rivers and so on in the meantime to ensure that whatever projects taken up are indeed in larger interest of the people, environment and future of the people of the state. If the projects now proposed are taken up, the Rivers, environment, culture, forests and mountains of Sikkim will be completely and irreversibly destroyed.

These are the initial recommendations of the committee, we hope to submit a more detailed report to all concerned soon. We also hope to widely disseminate the report and also submit it to the Planning Commission, the Power Ministry, and other concerned ministries and agencies in the Central and the state Govt.

Members: Soupana Lahiri (National Forum of Forest People and Forest workers, Delhi, souparna.lahiri@gmail.com)

Ravindra Nath (Rural Volunteers Centre, Akajan, Assam, assamravi@yahoo.co.in)

Partho J Das (North Eastern Centre for Environmental Research and Development, Gowahati, parthojdas@sancharnet.in)

Vimal Bhai (Matu Jan Sangathan, Delhi, matuporg@gmail.com)

Arnab (NESPON, Siliguri, West Bengal, soumitrag@gmail.com)

Himanshu Thakkar (South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People, Delhi, ht.sandrp@gmail.com)

--
Himanshu Thakkar

South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People
Delhi, India

himanshuthakkar@iitbombay.org
ht.sandrp@gmail.com

www.sandrp.in

The Press Release can be found at: http://www.sandrp.in/hydropower/Inedependent_Expert_Com_on_Big_Hydro_in_Sikkim.pdf

Navadanya: World Environment Day Meeting on the Ganga, Delhi -5th June 2008

2008-05-22T03:17:00.000-07:00

May 20, 2008

Dear Friends of the Ganga,

As you may be aware, the Bhagirathi is disappearing as the flow gets imprisoned in more and more dam projects. The threat to the lifeline of India's material and spiritual survival is a threat to our very future as a civilization. We feel this issue needs to be addressed collectively.

We have, therefore, decided to dedicate this year's World Environment Day – 5th June to the Ganga. We are organizing a workshop to take stock of the status of the river and to evolve an action plan to stop its disappearance and, thereby, protect our people and our civilization.

We hope you will join us for this important reflection and strategy workshop on 5th June at 10 am at Lecture Hall, India International Centre (Annexe), Lodhi Road, New Delhi.

Please confirm your participation..

And with warm regards,

Dr. Vandana Shiva
Cmdr. Sureshwar Sinha

Public Meeting in Delhi, 4th June 2008

2008-05-22T03:08:00.000-07:00

PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS

THREAT TO HOLY GANGES FROM HYDRO-ELECTRIC PROJECTS BETWEEN GANGOTRI-UTTARKASHI

Venue: Gandhi Peace Foundation Hall, near ITO, New Delhi
on Wednesday 4 June 2008 at 3 pm

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 dies 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 committing 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 Hydro-electric projects planned along 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 shall be no flow in the channel. THE GANGA WOULD RUN DRY. Commonsense indicates that such an extensive 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 Indians have known it for centuries will cease to exist and will be replaced by a series of reservoirs upstream of respective Hydro-electric projects.

To discuss the options available and to firm up public opinion on this matter of national importance a public meeting is planned at the venue mentioned above.

All are welcome there is no registration fee.

A Note in Solidarity by Sri. Sagar Dhara

2008-05-20T21:19:00.001-07:00

GD’s (as he is fondly called by friends) deep concern for the spoilage of the River Ganga, and all rives. I interpret this as his deep concern for all of nature, though expressed immediately for the Ganga. We have poisoned our atmosphere with excess carbon dioxide (three times what the earth can absorb back) by burning 14,000 tons of coal, oil and gas a year. The damage is irreparable, at least in the short run, and the consequence—global warming is going to wreak havoc with our environment and economy.

Lands that support the major global populations are already water-stressed. In 25 years, global water demand is expected to exceed water supply, with potentially disastrous consequences. After that, the occurrence of water wars will only be a matter of time.

Forests house over two-thirds of known terrestrial species; they also harbour the largest share of threatened species. As loss of natural habitat increases, humans loose their natural heritage, and therefore their ability to survive.

Per capita forest in ha

We have exceeded earth’s capacity to support human society. Today we require one and a half earths to support us as we have started living off the earth’s natural capital rather natural interest that it generates. The north nations and the rich in the south nations are responsible for this.

GD’s reference to “this terrible lust for money, material things, and particularly for electrical energy” is very apt. It is the root cause for humans overusing and fraying nature so badly that it no longer is able to provide adequate ecosystem services. Three tipping points—climate change, the exhaustion of fossil fuels and the deterioration of the environment—converging together at the same time, are on the verge of causing a collapse of human society as we know it today.

Humans, like other living beings are both energy converters (convert energy from one form to another) and energy users. But unlike other living beings that take only as much energy as they require for survival and reproduction from nature, humans are endowed with the ability to create knowledge of energy conversion technologies. Over time, as they humans have increased their knowledge base, they have stolen energy from other living beings and depleted nature off its energy conversion capability. Historically, a small class of humans have also stolen energy from the vast majority. This was done through devices that gave rights to the rich to colonize nature and harvest its energy, while denying the majority the same rights. The “selfish gene” syndrome only not only allowed the privileged class to do gain maximization, but also made the under-privileged class to also imbue this outlook, to their detriment.

GD places the power to “sacrifice and asceticism” above all other powers. This to me, points towards the need for the world to power down as the real and only solution for the rapid depletion of fossil fuels, even as global primary energy use has doubled in the last 35 years, and continues to currently grow at over 3% per year (@3% annual compounded growth, energy use doubling time = 23 years). Neither green nor nuclear technologies are viable alternatives for fossil fuels. And replacing oil, whose production has already peaked, with coal, of which the world has reserves, will only increase carbon dioxide emissions, and hence hasten global warming.

GD’s action to go on a fast unto death also points towards the need for ordinary people to act by themselves to protect and even recover their environments, and not leave it to others, governments included, to perform this task.

I have known GD saab for over 25 years and have great respect for him as a thinker, a person who has a deep concern for the environment and humanity, and a person of great integrity. Most importantly GD is a man who walks his talk. He has once again shown that while intellectual arguments may be convincing to those who have the leisure to indulge in them, it is action that finally counts in changing the world. There is another dimension to his action that is worth noting. His action is a moral one and is non-violent. It points to the question of what is our relationship to nature—are we a part of it or are we apart from it? And we wish to re-negotiate our relationship with nature, can we do it in any other way except non-violently, after all the violence we have done to nature and to humans through all these centuries? GD’s reference to sacrifice, and his offering non-violent satyagraha has immense meaning and emotional appeal to me. Human society can only be transformed from its violent, selfish and unequal ways and ideologies only with the tools that GD has chosen, and no other.

I wish I could join GD. Alas, I have commitments to an aged mother and a young daughter. Hence, I will have to wait my turn. I have decided to support GD through a token action. I am leaving for Uttarkashi on 10 June by AP Express and will go on a fast from the time GD starts his fast till the 15^th night in support of the cause for which he has taken such a monumental decision. Those who wish to join me from Hyderabad are very welcome. Others who wish to sign the attached memorandum to be sent to the Prime Minister, may do so, and send a copy to Envirotech, A-271 Okhla Industrial Area Phase 1, New Delhi 110 020 (envirotech@vsnl.com), from where an All-India campaign to support GD’s cause is being coordinated. An effort to meet the PM in this regard is being made.

In solidarity with GD and all others who are supporting him and his cause.

Sagar Dhara

19 May 2008, Tel: 40 2753 6128; Email: sagdhara@yahoo.com

Letter from Sri. Sagar Dhara on Prof. Agarwal's fast unto death

2008-05-20T21:04:00.000-07:00

2008/5/21 Sagar Dhara <sagdhara@mail.com>:

Dear friend:

Dr GD Agarwal, former Dean, IIT'K and former Member secretary, Central Pollution Control Board, and a very respected personality in the environmental engineering world in India and South Asia has decided to go on a fast unto death against the damming of the River Bhagirathi. I am attaching material that explains his decision.

If you agree with the cause for which GD is fighting, I request you to send a letter to the PM to this effect (a draft is attached, but you may change it). I also request you to have your letter endorsed by people you know who may agree to sign your letter to the PM.

A delegation of concerned citizens is attempting to meet the PM in about a fortnight from now to appraise the PM of the situation. If you do decided to spare a little time to collect signatures from others, since time is short, it may be advisable to collect signatures from a few prominent persona. But do send the letter to the PM to reach by this month end, with a copy to Mr S K Gupta, Envirotech Instruments, A-271, Okhla Phase 1, New Delhi 110020 (envirotech@vsnl.com), who is part of the concerned citizens in Delhi who are coordinating efforts to support GD for the cause he has taken up.

Best wishes.

Sagar

------------------------------------------------------------

Your address

Date:

Dr. Manmohan Singh

The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India

Government of India, South Block,

New Delhi 110 001

Namaskar,

Subject: Conservation of BHAGIRATHI River

We understand that a series of Dams are being planned for construction on the river Ganges between the Gangotri glacier and Uttarkashi for generation of Hydropower. Construction of a dam disturbs the natural flow regime, ecology, and the belief of devout Hindus in purity of the river Ganges that they consider sacred. Thinkers and social workers of present times, such as Pandit Mohan Malaviya and our respected past Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, have written how it binds the population of India with countless beliefs and faith.

Urbanization and non-sustainable industrial development has sullied Ganga and other rivers. To correct the wrong done, river conservation programs were launched. The first such effort was formulated as ‘Ganga Action Plan’ under the directions of former Prime Minister, late Shri Rajiv Gandhi.

Except in the Himalayan reach, the Ganges is made to carry sewage from cities and foul wastes from industries. Large amounts of water are abstracted. Now the onslaught is on the Himalayan reach, on the River Bhagirathi. First, the Tehri dam was built, then Maneri Bhali II at Uttarkashi. Next a series of 5 dams are planned or being built between the Gangotri glacier and Uttarkashi for generation of hydropower. At these sites water is stored, then released periodically through tunnels at suitable locations where power houses are built, back into the stream channel. The same is repeated again (and again) further downstream. The result is that in long stretches and over considerable period of time, there is no flow in the channel. The Ganges runs dry.

The final insult is that the Environment Impact Assessment report of the projects, states that no monument of historical, religious or archaeological value is affected!

Professor Dr. G. D. Agrawal, formerly Professor and Dean at IIT, Kanpur, and Member Secretary, Central Pollution Control Board, a noted teacher, a renowned environmentalist and a devout Hindu, in protest of such callous attitude, has decided to go on fast from June 13, 2008, until death, unless it is decided that henceforth, all development work which affects the flow in the stream channel between Gangotri and Uttarkashi is stopped.

I/we strongly agree with the stand taken by Professor Agrawal. It is a matter of making choice between a thousand megawatts of power and upholding the faith of billions of people. We request you to kindly intervene and halt the headlong destruction of the national environment, and the loss of bio-diversity and human life and preserve India's ecological future.

Thanking You,

Yours Truly,

Appeal from Ravi Chopra, PSI

2008-05-19T13:32:00.000-07:00

May 14, 2008

Dear All:

I am writing to inform you of a radical decision taken by Dr G.D. Agrawal, India's pre-eminent environmental quality scientist and a legendary Professor (and HoD) of Civil & Environmental Engineering at IIT-Kanpur (See attached biosketch).

Pained by the unrelenting destruction of the Ganga river, especially by a series of dams in its upper reaches, Dr Agrawal has decided to go on a fast-unto-death to oppose its continuing desecration. His conviction that we are staring at an unprecedented ecological and cultural catastrophe comes from his powerfully logical mind. (See also his critique of the proposed dams on the Bhagirathi river)

In a letter written to a few people close to him, Dr Agrawal explained his decision saying, "As you are aware, R. Bhagirathi Ganga has a very special place in Indian culture, thought and tradition. In the past few years, however, the continuity, quantity, quality and regime of flows are being disrupted for generation of hydro-electricity like all other rivers. Already in the reach downstream of Maneri, long stretches of Bhagirathi remain waterless for long periods. In the near future this may become the state of the entire river. As a serious student of environment sciences and as a faithful Hindu, this is hard for me to swallow. I strongly believe that at least Bhagirathi upstream of Uttarkashi should be spared of any works that disturb its natural flow-regime, ecology, purity or piety and, after brooding over it for several months, I have decided to oppose such works with all the might I have……. So after deep deliberation I have decided to "fast-unto-death" to oppose the destruction of this ecological marvel and the epitome of Hindu cultural faith."

Several scientists and activists whom he has mentored over the years have come together (See attached list) to try and mobilize public opinion to pressurize the governments of India and Uttarakhand to abandon the construction of all dams on the Bhagirathi river, upstream of Uttarkashi. We seek your support in this endeavour. Some ways in which you can do this are listed below:

(1) Help disseminate news of GD's fast and the underlying issues, as widely as possible. (I will be grateful if you can copy the mailing list to us.)

(2) Write articles for newspapers, including your local and vernacular media. (Please send us copies of the published material.)

(3) Write letters to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson UPA, the Union Ministers for Water Resources (Prof. Saifuddin Soz) and Power (Shri Sushil Kumar Shinde) and the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand urging then to abandon the construction of all the new dams on the Bhagirathi upstream of Uttarkashi. Please release the letters to the media and send us copies.

(4) Mobilize local support groups – common people, women, students, scientists and other professionals, Ganga devotees, nature clubs, etc. Please let us know if you are interested in being part of a coordination group in your state.

(5) Mobilize political support for the demand raised by Dr Agrawal.

(6) Organize signature campaigns/online petitions.

(7) Demonstrate your support for the issues that Dr Agrawal is raising. Mobilize groups of people to sit on one-day fasts and ensure that the media covers them. (Please send us news reports.)

(8) Take delegations to meet high officials and decision-makers to lobby for the issues raised by Dr Agrawal and his basic demand.

These are just some initial ideas that have come to our minds. Please let us know what else needs to be done and can be done. We welcome your ideas. Also keep us informed of what all you are doing. If you need more information from us, please do not hesitate to contact us. I am attaching embedded Hindi fonts with this mail, as one of attachments is in Hindi. We may be able to provide you photographs of G.D. Agrawal and the dry stretches of the Ganga, sample leaflets/letters/petitions/posters in Hindi and English in a week or ten days.

Personally, I think that we have an uphill task before us, given the prevailing apathy and the obdurate governments at the centre and the state. Hence your active support is essential. I look forward to a positive and quick response from you.

Sincerely
Ravi Chopra
--
Peoples' Science Institute
252/I Vasant Vihar, Dehra Doon 248006
Uttarakhand. INDIA

phone: +91 135 2773849; 2763649
fax: +91 135 2760334
psiddoon@gmail.com
psiddoon@rediffmail.com
http://www.peoplesscienceinstitute.com

A critique of Hydroelectric Projects on River Bhagirathi

2008-05-17T03:26:00.000-07:00

A Critique of Loharinag-Pala, Pala-Maneri

and

Other Hydroelectric Projects on R. Bhagirathi

Dr G.D.Agrawal

Formerly (i) Design Engineer, Central Designs Directorate, Irrigation Department, U.P., (ii) Professor & Head, Civil (and Environmental) Engg. Deptt IIT, Kanpur, U.P., (iii) Member Secretary, Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi, (iv) EIA Expert and (v) Director, Envirotech Instrument (P) Ltd, New Delhi.

Currently: Honorary Professor of Environment Sciences, MGCGV, Chitrakoot and above all A Devout Hindu

In single-minded pursuit of its agenda for economic advancement, for which cheap energy availability is a major requirement, the Government of India has been proposing and/or promoting a number of hydro-electric projects on various rivers of the Ganga valley including the Bhagirathi to tap their enormous hydro-power potential. In its desire to make India stand somewhere in the long queue of so-called “developed” nations, the GoI is willing to destroy the traditional Indian ethos of worshiping nature and living in harmony with it, slowly destroying any and all links that connect the vast Indian masses to this tradition, heritage and cultural ethos and at the same time erasing what is special, even unique, in the land that is India.

Besides the controversial Tehri Dam, which was ultimately cleared by the Apex Court in 2002 and was commissioned in 2005, a medium “run-of-the-river” hydro-electric scheme at Maneri-Bhali on R.Bhagirathi had become operational as early as the late seventies. Another five projects on various tributaries before they join at Devprayag, to be reverently called GANGAji are currently under construction, including the Pala-Maneri and Maneri-Bhali stage II on Bhagirathi. About twenty more medium schemes are at different stages of planning in the reaches upstream of Devprayag, Two of these are on the Bhagirathi proper. Loharinag-Pala, one of these, recently got a clearance from MoEF, GoI.

It is highly unfortunate that both the environmentalists who never tire of talking of the fragility and uniqueness of the Himalayan environment, as also the devout Hindus, who swear in the name of Gangaji, remained sleeping when Maneri-Bhali was built, and also the agitation against Tehri Dam proved to be miserably inadequate, ill-prepared and primarily concentrating on the vested self-interests of a few. In the absence of support both from competent scientific/environmental professionals and the devout Hindu cultural ethos, even a towering leader like Sunder Lal Bahugunaji could not lead the Tehri movement to success. With his secular and socialist inclinations, Bahugunaji did not even think of taking help of the 1916 agreement between the Indian Governemnt (then under British control) and the Hindu community which, as a legal instrument, would have been able to stop Tehri Dam or to make substantial changes in its designs and plans. His scientific base and support could also not be called strong.

From the above, it is obvious that it is not enough to say we do not support these projects - it is necessary to be specific as to which of these projects and on what grounds. The grounds can be either (i) scientific and environmental or (ii) related to faith, culture and sentiments. If the grounds are scientific/environmental/legal, they have to be strong enough and be presented by competent professionals, to be able to defeat the project promoters. Such grounds shall also need to keep economic aspects in mind and could be rectified by appropriate design or site changes. If the grounds are related to faith, culture, tradition and sentiments, one has to be bold to strongly and openly state so. Of course one has to be “totally convinced” of his faith, culture and sentiments and be able to ensure that these do not involve any sort of primary violence (“Hinsa”) from his side, but a human who cannot stand (or fall) to defend his faith is no human, as a nation which cannot stand to defend it’s sovereignty is no nation.

Below are discussed the grounds related to (A) our Faith, Culture, Tradition and Sentiments and (B) those related to Environmental/Scientific considerations, due to which we oppose the proposed hydro-electric projects on Bhagirathi, particularly the Pala-Maneri and the Loharinag-Pala projects for which MoEF has granted environmental clearances and construction work has started. We may repeat again and again that the considerations of Group A (those related to faith, culture and sentiments) are the PRIMARY ones, those of Group B (scientific/environmental) only meaningless auxilliaries from our point of view.

A. Faith/Culture/Sentiments vis-à-vis Projects on the Bhagirathi

A-1: Gangaji, a very special river demanding special treatment

In Indian cultural ethos (essentially Hindu ethos since the Islamic/Parsi/Jewish/Christian ethos is in no way linked to the land and geography of India) Gangaji is no ordinary river it is “Sur-Sari”, divine flow of energy, a living entity; “mother”, revered and worshipped by tens of crores of Hindus – all the Indians who accept and value their links with this land - over not just a few centuries but several millennia.

If crores of Hindus from all parts of the country, as far as Kerala, Tamilnadu, Saurashtra, Kashmir etc. flock to Hardwar, Allahabad, Varanasi, Gangasagar and other spots along Gangaji, it is not because Gangaji has built or irrigated their farmlands, or supplies their drinking water or electricity or even helps to drain away their wastes to the sea. NO! Gangaji is no ordinary river in our ethos to be related to these lowly tasks that other rivers and streams also perform. Gangaji is not Nile or Euphrates, or Thames, or Danube or Mississippi, or even Indus (Sindhu). No one ever craves to visit any of these rivers, their origin, their confluence or any spots on them, as crores of Hindus crave for Gangaji. They want to be near Gangaji even in death; at least have a few drops of Ganga Jal.

The water flowing in Gangaji is not ordinary water to a Hindu, it is “GANGAJAL”, not meant for mere drinking, domestic use, irrigation or pisciculture and hence not needing to meet any criteria or standards set by WHO or MoEF. It is a matter of the life and death of Hindu faith, culture, tradition, sentiments and ethos. One has to think of Kumbh Mela, the Kanwad tradition, the “Chhath” of Bihar and all the other cultural rituals on the banks of Gangaji.

The main problem of scientists, engineers, planners, economists the so-called “educated”, and of recent Indian Governments is that they wish to first treat and then make Gangaji like any other river. They want to apply all the common criteria, the same standards, the same objectives, the same EIA guidelines the same economic planning to Gangaji as to some nondescript stream. They consider Gangajal as any other surface water, inferior to treated tap-water or “Bisleri/Aqua Fina”. They have never considered it necessary to explore and understand the basis of the Indian faith and reverence for Gangaji. Their real aim and intention is to insult denounce and destroy all that is unique to India’s land, it’s culture and it’s people, to be counted as second rate cousins of the other nationalities of the world, far behind those of European origin. I would wish to be forth-right; to me the effort to equate or consider Gangaji to any other river is an attack by the modern scientific/economic culture on the traditional Indian culture, faith and ethos and has to be fought at that level. Let us be clear and straight forward:

Gangaji is our cultural mother.

Gangaji is from Gangotri to Ganga Sagar.

We shall not let Gangaji be treated like an ordinary river and harnessed for irrigation city water-supply, hydro-electricity, pisciculture etc. or be fouled with waste discharges.

A special code for reverently using Gangaji has to be evolved.

A 2. The unique, superior and very special quality of GANGAJAL

A significant and very important aspect of Hindu culture, faith and tradition is the belief, rather conviction, in the superior and unique quality of GANGAJAL. In a highly intelligent and intellectual group, that we believe our Rishis belonged to, this had to be based on long-time experience and observation and not be mere blind faith. Besides the high and unique spiritual and mental impacts of contacts with GANGAJAL, (which can only be felt or experienced, and not be measured in the laboratory), it is believed to have bactericidal, disease-curing, health-promoting, non-putrefying and purifying properties at levels much beyond any other waters known. While all educated and believing in modern science, would like to discard these as mere rubbish and blind-faith, they have no data or proof from a comprehensive scientific study, planned to satisfy their own criteria for such a study, to establish this. It is essentially the responsibility of the modern scientific community to conclusively prove it, if they think the centuries old faith in the unique quality of GANGAJAL to be baseless and mere blind faith. And it may be stressed that to-date there has been no such comprehensive, properly planned and conducted study. On the other hand there are a number of stray observations and short studies by scientists, all of which support the Hindu faith in the unique non-putrefying, bactericidal and health promoting properties of GANGAJAL. Some of these are listed below:

Bactericidal properties of Gangajal at Varanasi and other locations observed by several Indian as also European biologists, argued to be due to presence of bacterio-phages.

E.Coli-cidal properties of Gangajal at Kanpur observed by Shri Kashi Prasad in his IIT Kanpur M.Tech Thesis. This property was unchanged by autoclaving and hence could not be due to phages or any other living agent but was removed on filtration or ultra-centrifuge and hence seemed to be caused by ultra-fine silt or micro-nucleii present in the Jal.

Unbelievably high BOD exertion (or removal) rate constants (several times of the values in other waters) in GANGAJI observed by Dr D.S. Bhargava in his IIT-Kanpur PhD. Thesis argued to the due to the presence of large amounts of “exo-cellular polymers” excreted by certain bacteria in endogenous phases (but could also be coming from extracts of some specific vegetal species present in Himalayan uplands).

Bactericidal and purifying properties of Gangajal observed by NEERI in their study on “Self-Cleaning” properties of Gangaji in relation to Tehri Dam, found to be related to a unique mix of heavy and radioactive metals present in Gangajal. The study was toned down to keep within interests of the client and never brought into highlight in keeping with official objectives.

Even the EIA study conducted by WAPCOS for the Loharinag-Pala Hydro-eclectic Project found fecal coliforms to be totally absent at all the six locations in Bhagirathi in both the Pre-monsoon (low flow) and Post-monsoon (high flow) samplings (see Tables 3.4a and 3.4b of the EIA report). How would one explain this total absence of fecal coliforms at all the six stations and in both samplings with so many pilgrims visiting, bathing and fouling Gangaji at Gangotri and the significant township and army establishment at Harsil upstream, if not due to the special coli-cidal properties in GANGAJAL? Well, WAPCOS was vain; RITES was wise enough not to test for coliforms or bacteria at all, and played safe. CPCB was forthright in their objective of equating Gangaji to other streams; so they probably sampled an incoming drain carrying septic tank overflow to find 377 MPN of fecal coliforms and 17000 of total coliforms at GANGOTRI. I would challenge them putting at stake all that I have, including my life, to prove these numbers for Gangaji at Gangotri following the standard river sampling and analytical techniques.

It is obvious that what science has done has biased, even fouled, our minds against everything that our sages said or believed. And poor Gangaji has been an easy prey.

Like the axiom in law to treat every one as not guilty unless proven to be guilty, there has to be an axiom in culture-related matters to accept, respect and protect all issues of faith and conviction of our age-old tradition, unless and until they are conclusively proven to be false or wrong. Let those who feel that Gangaji or Gangajal have nothing special and can be treated and used for economic anthropocentric purposes like ordinary waters, carry out a comprehensive study to conclusively negate the cultural notions of special properties. And still they shall have no right to trounce on the cultural faith of the corers of believing, devout Hindus; they can only use the data to gradually dampen the faith.

B Scientific/Environmental Points Against Proposed Projects

B-1 Feasibility, safety and economic viability:

Obviously these three aspects of any project have to be fully ensured for any project right at the Feasibility study stage. The feasibility Reports for these two (Loharinag-Pala and Pala-Maneri) projects have not been available to us for any critical appraisal, but from the information quoted in the EIAs for the two projects, it is clear that adequate examination of these aspects was not done before deciding to proceed with the projects. This is briefly discussed below:

Hydraulic Feasibility: River valley projects of this size are undertaken only after detailed data of hydraulic flows over a long enough period (at least 30 years, preferably 100 years) have been analyzed and not only frequency analysis but probabilities of various flows worked out. The EIA reports only mention 90% assured availability flows. It is not clear if this implies the assured flows available in 90% of the year examined, or on 90% of the days of a particular year. The EIA for Pala-Maneri project states that the average flow in the river is 170.18 m³/sec during April to November and 30.87 m³/sec during December to March giving an annual average flow of 124 m³/sec. However it is not stated whether these are for a particular year (if so, which year) and if they are averages over several years, how many and which years were taken for averaging. It may be appreciated that river flows a very from year to year and that for designing such a project, the flows available in a dry or low-flow year should be considered rather than the average flow of several years. For this desirably, 100 years and minimum 30 years data is considered necessary.

It is also interesting to note that while an up-stream project, viz., Loharinag-Pala has been designed for a nominal average available flow of 145m³/sec. the downstream project Pala-Maneri considers the nominal average flow to be only 124m²/sec, though the intake has been designed to take 156m³/sec. Obviously the flow available at a downstream project cannot be less than that at an upstream station. It is nowhere clear as to where the flows were measured and over what period. The notion seems to be, that an average of around 120-150m³/sec is generally available and whatever becomes available shall be picked up and used. A thorough probability study of the flows likely to be available, does not appear to have been carried out. If really so, the feasibility cannot be stated to have been adequately established.

ii. Geological Safety: Himalayan geology, the presence of faults, the active Munsiari Thrust, the accumulation of debris and boulders due to frequent land-slides, the earthquake proneness, the presence of fossil-valleys and other highly sensitive and fragile features in the project areas have all been extensively studied and documented by various authors. All these are mentioned in the EIA reports and had probably been considered in examining the feasibility, since some technical measures to safeguard against them (e.g. slightly shifting the site, or providing steel lining in the pressure-shafts over highly vulnerable stretches) have been proposed. How adequate the proposed design measures would be in the Himalayan condition ?

iii. Economic Viability: While economic viability of a hydro-electric project is rarely in question, the escalation of costs of the projects due to the severe geologic conditions and the cost-intensive measures that shall need to be adopted (past experience with such projects in the Beas-Sutlej or Yamuna-Tons schemes shows this) coupled with the uncertain and receding glacial flows in R. Bhagirathi are feared to make the project economically unsound, unless very high sale-tariffs for the power generated are adopted – like in the case of Enron. This is bound to be counter-productive.

All-in-all one can only say that from all information available to us, the issues of hydraulic feasibility, geologic safety and economic viability, have not been adequately addressed or assured.

B-2 Environmental Impact Assessment:

B-2.1 The environmental impacts of a river valley project can be classified into three categories:

(a) Environmental Impacts caused by the long-term changes brought about by the project in the riverine regime, including flows, water-spreads, velocities of flow, silt loads, bed-topography, bed-character, soil-moistures, drainage-routes, ground-water-tables, etc. which ultimately affect the aquatic and terrestrial ecology and even the land-use, cultivated crops and over-all environment. Such impacts may appear only slowly but continue for all times. Often they are cumulative and keep growing with time. Flood-balancing may not only deprive neighbouring areas of the fertile river silt, but may seriously affect some sensitive biological species, the life cycles of which are related to the normal water-level and water-table regimes as was found in the basin of R. Snowy (very similar to Bhagirathi) in Australia leading to the demolition of a major dam and major changes in the operation schedules of some hydro-electric stations, rendering them un-economical.

(b) Environmental Impacts due to construction activities of various structures of the project including land-acquisition with it’s accompanied land-use changes, displacement of people/activities, deforestation etc, procurement and transport of materials and equipment for construction, the actual construction of the main and appurtenant structures including roads, bridges, colonies etc. often even the impacts visible shortly after the project goes into operation/production are included in this category.

(c) Impacts likely to be caused in case of an accidental breach or failure in the project structure generally termed a hazard and tackled under risk-analysis and disaster-management.

B-2.2 Rationally the group (a) viz., the long-term impacts caused by the changes brought about by the project in the riverine regime, should be the most critical and important when considering environmental clearance to a river valley project and the other two categories only subsidiary. Unfortunately, these changes are subtle and take a long time to become visible, as such they are generally ignored both by project planners as also by EIA consultants. The MoEF also has little understanding or experience of these, and it’s bulky EIA Guidelines and formats are essentially designed for polluting industries and not for river-projects. In this particular case the two EIA consultants did not even care to clearly state the present (or pre-project) riverine regimes (viz., the cycles of the flow variations, water-spreads, water-depths, velocities, silt-loads etc) or the post-project situation much less to try to assess the impacts of the changes brought about in various stretches in and around the projects. The EIAs only tend to state and believe that the impacts would be minimal even though almost the entire flows are proposed to be diverted away from long stretches of the river channel for long periods. Even the question of impacts on aquatic ecology including migratory fish, algae and benthic invertebrates are brushed aside as being minimal. It would be obvious that changes in water-depths and velocities (and silt-loads) over long periods of time is bound to cause very significant changes in the distribution of species of flora and fauna both in as well as along the river-channel.

B-2.3 A significant scientific problem shall be how to realistically estimate the likely ecological changes even after knowing the changes that the project is going to bring about in the riverine regime. For this the only rational methodology shall be to compare with the observations in several similar earlier projects in similar conditions. Learning from experience, or simulation modeling, is the only option when it comes to environmental predictions. Comparisons with other similar rivers such as the glacial-fed river Snowy in eastern Australia could have been logical. Fortunately now Maneri-Bhali, a much smaller but similar, project on Bhagirathi itself, is at least 30 years old and similar projects in Yamuna-Tons valley have been in operation for some 35 years. The actual impacts or changes caused by these projects could have been assessed in detail and used as basis for simulation modeling. Even the mega-project Tehri Dam on Bhagirathi itself has been now in operation for some 3 years and the actual changes it is bringing about in river water quality and aquatic and benthic ecology could have been measured by a comparison of samples from Gangotri, Maneri, Uttarkashi and down stream of Tehri as a base study for the EIA. None of this has been done, not even mentioned. This should be understandable once it is realized that the objective of the study was only to satisfy the formalities to obtain MoEF clearances and not any sincere or realistic assessment of likely impacts.

B-2.4 Ignoring all the above basic and critical flaws which make the two EIAs fundamentally inadequate, let us examine some specific impacts as assessed by the EIA consultants.

(i) Loss of forests and terrestrial vegetation: While good field work has been done in enumerating the species, their counts, canopy-coverage and measurements seem to have been manipulated to yield low diversity indices and say that the natural vegetation in the affected pockets is of poor quality and hence the impact shall be minimal. It is un-believable that the vegetation in these pockets on Bhagirathi is of poor quality and that out of the more than 20 tree species listed to be present in each pocket only four are of any economic value, and none of them is endangered, rare, endemic or sensitive. And what about shrubs, grasses etc., which have also been enumerated but not mentioned when talking of impacts. Most of the herbs of medicinal value are shrubs or grasses found in such pockets of sensitive vegetation and these have been totally ignored when assessing impact of projects.

(ii) Impacts on Wildlife: It is just stated that all the wildlife has already fled-away or vanished. Is this not a serious indictment of the “development” processes that have been going on? If there is no wildlife all along Bhagirathi, where would wildlife be in India? Would not these projects, the blasting and tunneling in the Himalayas and the heavy transport vehicles and activity drive the wild-life away even from their present hide-outs?

(iii) Migratory Fish Species: Many important fish species including the famous Hilsa are known to migrate to Himalayan uplands for spawning. When talking of any impact on these it is argued that since Maneri and Tehri have already disrupted such migration along Bhagirathi, the proposed projects shall not any further damage and may be allowed? How funny! Rather than assessing the damage caused by Maneri/Tehri and suggest correcting the mistake, only support further sealing up of Bhagirathi. How DISASTROUS in the long-term ecology? The importance given by the consultants to commercial fishing is un-ethical.

(iv) Benthic Flora and Fauna: With serious changes in the seasonal water-spreads, flows and water depths in the river-streches both in the upstream submergence and in the downstream of the barrage/weir where the water has been diverted away the whole world would change for the benthic worms, insects, larvae, invertebrates, eggs and the entire life. Who knows what role all these play in the miraculous properties of Bhagirathi water, silt and ecology? Would it be O.K. to discard all this impact, calling it minimal as the EIA consultants have done?

(v) Algal growth and algal blooms: Before discarding any risk of algal bloom due to low presence of nutrients in Bhagirathi water, the experience of the shallow parts of Tehri Reservoir and of Maneri “Lake” should have been assessed and quoted. And if the proposed projects are only part of the chain of “development” projects, the likely increase in nutrients due to increasing townships and human activities should have been assessed before discarding the risk of algal blooms in the project pondages as also in the “Kuhl”-like river stretches downstream of the barrage/weir which may turn into series of pools and falls.

(vi) Impact on Fossil Valleys: The likely impact on these ecologically important features have not been detailed. Although their presence in the region is accepted, neither they have been marked on the map, nor the likely impacts examined.

(vii) Impacts of Quarrying for Raw materials: The Maneri-Pala project is estimated to consume 200,000m³of sand and 400,000m³ of coarse aggregates while the Loharinag-Pala project shall consume more than double these amounts. Almost all of these, particularly all of the sand, shall be taken out from quarrying in the river-bed and the neighbouring slopes. The impacts of such manipulations at locations selected only on considerations of quality and quantity of materials available and their economics, have been just stated to be minimal without any effort at quantification or even a crude estimate. When even the proposed locations of the quarries have not been pointed out, where is the question of assessment of impact of blasting, other quarrying operations or the long-term consequences of the removal of these huge quantities of river-bed or side-slope material from it’s present locations.

(viii) Impacts of transport and construction activities: Significant effort has been invested by the two EIA consultants in modeling and predicting the impacts on the ambient air-quality and noise due to the transport and construction activity. All this is in terms of noise decibel and SPM/RSPM/SO₂/NOx as specified by MoEF. This would be relevant only in the usual industrial-urban situations, not in Bhagirathi valley, as this does not differentiate between the decibels due to the gushing waters, rustling of leaves and chirping of birds from the headache-causing decibels generated by heavy vehicles, earth-movers, crushers, concrete-mixers and other machinery. The consultants seem to have no ears to appreciate the tranquility, or the mucous membranes to enjoy the fragrance, of Bhagirathi valley.

(ix) Social and cultural Impacts: Under these heads the EIA consultants have only considered the neighbouring populations and totally ignored the millions of the Indians proud of their natural heritage and hankering to just once in their life, visit and enjoy the tranquil, fragrant, beautiful, scintillating Bhagirathi valley which does not merely fills the mind with extreme joy (“Anand”), but lifts up the soul. The consultants may say this to be merely blind-faith. But is the impact on and deprivation of millions of devout believers to be ignored by an EIA or environmental clearance?

EPILOGUE: The construction of these projects on Bhagirathi would be disastrous to the cultural and environmental identity of India.

Prof. Agarwal's Letter regarding 'Fasting Unto Death'

2008-05-17T03:13:00.000-07:00

Pramod-Van, Chitrakoot, M.P. Date: 14/04/08

Re: My Intention of “Fasting Unto Death” for Conservation of BHAGIRATHI

Dear: …………………………………...

1. As you are aware, R. Bhagirathi Ganga has a very special place in Indian culture, thought and tradition. In the past few years, however, the continuity, quantity, quality and regime of flows is being disrupted for generation of hydro-electricity like all other rivers. Already in the reach downstream of Maneri, long stretches of Bhagirathi remain water less for long periods. In near future this may become the state of the entire river. As a serious student of environment sciences and as a faithful Hindu, this is hard for me to swallow. I strongly believe that at least Bhagirathi upstream of Uttarkashi should be spared of any works that disturb it’s natural flow-regime, ecology, purity or piety and, after brooding over it for several months, I have decided to oppose such works with all the might I have.

2. What might do I have to oppose such works in the face of the terrible lust for money, material comforts and particularly for electrical energy both on part of the governments and masses alike at the present state of our country? Well, I Pride to be from a culture that places the power of “Sacrifice and asceticism” (tapasya) above all other powers. And what is the use and meaning of “faith” if one is not willing to sacrifice for it! So after deep deliberation I have decided to “fast-unto-death” to oppose the destruction of this ecological marvel and the epitome of Hindu cultural “faith”.

3. In Chitrakoot, where Lord Rama performed his Tapasya, on his auspicious birth-day, Ram-Navami, April 14, 2008, I hereby resolve, that barring circumstances unforeseen, I shall go on a “fast-unto-death” from Ganga-Dashehra, June 13, 2008 to oppose the foul meddling going on with the stream of Bhagirathi upstream of Uttarkashi. May Lord Rama give me the strength of staying firm in my resolve. 4. In the name of your affection and concern for me, I pray to you not to do anything that may even distantly try to make me waiver from my resolve and if by any means, you find me your blessings.

5. After May 15, 2008, I plan to stay somewhere around Uttarkashi most of the time. You could find my location from either M.C. Mehta Environmental Foundation (Tel: 011-41756519) or from People’s Science Institute (Tel: 0135-2763649)

With affectionate good wishes, Your own cultural conscience
(S/dG.D. Agrawal)

Site Code	Location	Parameters
Site Code	Location	BOD (mg/l)	COD (mg/l)	TSS (mg/l)	FC,(million/100 ml)	Daily discharge (MLD)
S-1	Sewer drain before fall out into the Ganga Canal d/s of LokNath Ghat	140	240	70	31.29	2.4
S-2	Laltarao bridge Nala fall out into Ganga d/s Gujrala Bhawan	205	320	2235	41.09	8.6
S-3	Sewer drain fall out into Lalatarao bridge Nala come from Vishnu Bhawan side	239	348	480	21.89	2.0
S-4	Kassaban Nala, Jwalapur *	270	520	80	29.98	17
S-5	Sewer drain at Jwalapur *	465	720	523	34.68	12.4
S-6	BHEL Nala at Jwalapur *	190	280	164	35.69	13.8
S-7	Ranipur drain d/s Sanskrit Bhawan ,Ranipur mod	145	235	105	51.79	5.1
S-8	Jagjeetpur Nala near Matri Sadan fall out into Ganga river	80	120	18	11.79
S-9	Jagjeetpur STP final out let before confluence with the River Ganga	180	400	356	30.89	18 (as per STP capacity)