Ganga changing track fast at Allahabad

When next time Kumbh is organised here, the Ganga may have shifted a long way, reports Chetan Chauhan.

When next time Kumbh is organised in Allahabad, the Ganga may have shifted a long way. The government has apparently for the first time has recorded the phenomenon, which has gathered pace in the past few years.

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A study by the Central Water Commission has confirmed that the sacred river for Hindus, Ganga, is changing track fast and in future may pose danger to Phaphamau town, if remedial measures are not taken soon, Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.

The technical team comprising of experts from Ganga Flood Control Commission, Patna, UP Government, Ministry of Railways and Central Water Commission, found that Ganga has moved towards Phaphamau side and it has been rapid in the last few years.

The reason for Ganga gaining pace in changing track are two, first, higher silt generation leads to more deposits on the bank and second, more wastage generated by human reaching the river.

The committee also found that about 1.5-2 kilometres upstream of the river, there had been erosion of the river belt but, at present, no danger is posed to railway bridges and a road leading to the town. “The road leading to Phaphamau town is 600 metres away from the river flow and protects the town. The river is fast moving its track and immediate precautionary measures are needed,” the committee observed.

Although the survey was site inspection of the river, the committee has recommended morphological studies with remote sensing techniques within 20 kilometres to study the impact of Ganga changing its track. The UP government has also been asked to conduct a model study of the river in the vicinity of bridges and roads to analyse the Ganga’s future impact of infrastructure.

The committee also observed that the Ganga’s changing its route can have a major impact during future monsoons, when the river flow is more intense and its carries much more water than usual. The UP has been asked to ‘closely’ monitor the river flow during monsoon months.

In the last few years, Ganga has also swirled a lot at many places including Varanasi and Patna, which the scientists term as a natural course of river flow. But, has cautioned that if human interference is not checked the shift may gain pace in future.