The Ganga Canal will remain closed until November 8 for annual maintenance, desilting and ghat redevelopment, affecting irrigation water supply across 15 districts of Uttar Pradesh, Haridwar in Uttarakhand and seven districts in the National Capital Region (NCR).
The closure will also affect drinking water supply in parts of the NCR, as water from the canal is channelled to the Pratap Vihar treatment plant in Ghaziabad. Meanwhile, the Ganga Sabha has urged authorities to maintain minimum water flow at Brahmakund at Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar to allow pilgrims and locals to perform daily rituals.
“The closure of the Ganga Canal is a routine annual procedure necessary for maintenance and desilting. Following approvals from higher authorities and the UP state government, the canal has been closed from Tuesday midnight until midnight on Deepawali. Ghat repair and redevelopment work will also be undertaken during this period. All relevant departments and stakeholders were informed well in advance,” sub-divisional officer of the UP irrigation department Bharat Bhushan said.
Built in 1854 to supply potable and irrigation water as far as Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, the Ganga Canal spans approximately 560 km. Although it originates in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, the UP Irrigation Department continues to manage and operate the canal due to unresolved asset-sharing agreements between the two states following Uttarakhand’s creation.
Water from the canal is also channelled to the Pratap Vihar treatment plant in Ghaziabad, from where it is distributed as drinking water across parts of the NCR.
Meanwhile, Ganga Sabha president Nitin Gautam asked authorities to maintain an uninterrupted minimum water flow at Brahmakund at Har Ki Pauri to enable pilgrims and locals to perform daily rituals.
Senior UP Irrigation Department officials said that field officers in Uttarakhand had been instructed to ensure adequate water levels were maintained at Har Ki Pauri throughout the closure period. However, pictures showing Har Ki Pauri without water went viral on Wednesday.