Lok Sabha Question No. 5460 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-03
Subject: Minimum Water Flow in Ganga at Haridwar Ghats
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5460

ANSWERED ON 03.04.2025

## MINIMUM WATER FLOW IN GANGA AT HARIDWAR GHATS

## †5460.  SHRI TRIVENDRA SINGH RAWAT

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) the concrete steps taken/being taken by the Government to ensure minimum water flow in the Ganga at Haridwar ghats, especially during the repair work of the Upper Ganga Canal;

(b) whether the Government has conducted any studies on the impact of declining water levels in Haridwar on religious rituals, tourism and aquatic life and if so, the details and key findings thereof;

(c) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to prevent pollution and accumulation of waste at the said ghats during low water levels;

(d)  whether  the  Government  is  coordinating  with  the  Uttar  Pradesh  Irrigation  Department  to  prevent  water shortages during religious activities in Haridwar and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) whether the Government has any long-term plan to maintain a balance between canal maintenance and uninterrupted water supply at Haridwar ghats and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a),  (d)  &  (e) The  Government  of  India  vide  Gazette  Notification  dated  9th  October,  2018  notified  the minimum environmental flows for River Ganga that need to be maintained at various locations on the river. The order applies to the Upper Ganga River Basin starting from originating glaciers and through respective confluences of its head tributaries finally meeting at Devprayag up to Haridwar and the main stem of River Ganga  up  to  Unnao  district  of  Uttar  Pradesh.   As  per  notification,  monitoring  of  e-flows  is  carried  out  by Central Water Commission (CWC) since 1st January, 2019 for 11 projects.

For the repair works, the annual closure of Upper Ganga Canal is taken. During this period, barrage reservoir level is maintained at Bhimgoda Barrage to ensure the availability of water at the time of Ganga Aarti via  old  supply  channel.  The  mechanism  exists  to  give  the  water  for  Shree  Ganga  Aarti  in  the  morning  and evening at Har ki Podi by making the temporary bunds during the canal maintenance period.

UP  State  Government  has  informed  that  coordination  between  various  Departments/Agencies  is ensured at different levels regarding water availability in Haridwar during various religious activities.

(b) The flow in the rivers is dynamic and depends on many parameters such as rainfall, its distribution and intensity  in  the  catchment,  catchment  characteristics  and  withdrawals/utilization  of  water.   CWC carries  out Hydrological observation on rivers across the country.

Further,  Annual  Discharge  Data  for  03  no  sites  at  Ganga  River,  namely;  Haridwar,  Rishikesh  & Devprayag (G) measured between 2020-2024 does not indicate any declining trend.  The details is enclosed at Annexure.

(c) As informed by U.P. State Government, Municipal Corporation, Haridwar undertakes cleaning of ghats under the corporation area.

***

## ANNEXURE

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5460 TO BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  03.04.2025  REGARDING  'MINIMUM  WATER  FLOW  IN GANGA AT HARIDWAR GHATS'.

| Annual Runoff (MCM) of CWCHOStations U/S of Haridwar on Ganga River (2021-2025)   | Annual Runoff (MCM) of CWCHOStations U/S of Haridwar on Ganga River (2021-2025)   | Annual Runoff (MCM) of CWCHOStations U/S of Haridwar on Ganga River (2021-2025)   | Annual Runoff (MCM) of CWCHOStations U/S of Haridwar on Ganga River (2021-2025)   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Year                                                                              | Haridwar GDSQ site                                                                | Rishikesh GDSQ site                                                               | Devprayag (G) GDSQ site                                                           |
| 2020-2021                                                                         | 649.58                                                                            | 569.57                                                                            | 640.98                                                                            |
| 2021-2022                                                                         | 617.27                                                                            | 664.4                                                                             | 775.4                                                                             |
| 2022-2023                                                                         | 721.67                                                                            | 611.56                                                                            | 701.27                                                                            |
| 2023-2024                                                                         | 1024.53                                                                           | 725.47                                                                            | 802.82                                                                            |
| 2024-2025 *                                                                       | 775.07                                                                            | 723.21                                                                            | 821.68                                                                            |

Note:-

Water year is from June to May

* Partial Water Year (June to March)

*****