The Ganga

The Ganges (Ganga) River is the largest and one of the major rivers in the Indian subcontinent. The 2,510 km (1,560 mi) river rises in the western Himalayas Mountain in the Uttarakhand. The river has immense religious significance and it has long been considered the holiest of all rivers by people of Hindu religion and worshiped as the goddess Ganga in Hinduism.

The Ganga is flowing about 2,510 km (1,560 mi) generally eastward through a vast plain to the Bay of Bengal. On its 1,560-mi (2,510-km) course, it flows southeast through the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal of India. Entering into Bangladesh it is joined with the one of the largest river in the world the Brahmaputra and Meghna Rivers. The Ganga is declared as the national River of India; The Ganges, above all is the river of India, which has held India's heart captive and drawn uncounted millions to her banks since the dawn of history. The Ganga sustains one of the world’s highest densities of population and drains an area of approximately 1000000 square kilometres.

There are many small tributaries (streams) which comprise the main flow (headwaters) of the Ganges. The six longest tributaries (headstreams) and their five sub-tributaries (confluences) are given both cultural and geographical. The Alaknanda River meets the Dhauliganga River at Vishnuprayag, the Nandakini River at Nandprayag, the Pindar River at Karnaprayag, the Mandakini River at Rudraprayag and finally the Bhagirathi River at Devprayag, to form the largest Ganges River of India. The Bhagirathi is the main tributries of Ganga; it rises at the foot of Gangotri Glacier, at Gaumukh, at an elevation of 3,892 m (12,769 ft). The headwaters of the Alaknanda are formed by snowmelt from such peaks as Nanda Devi, Trisul, and Kamet.

After flowing about 200 KM (120 mi) through its narrow Himalayan valley, the Ganges debouches into the Gangetic Plain at the pilgrimage town of Haridwar. Here some of the Ganga water is diverted to the Doab region of Uttar Pradesh by a River dam. Here from this point the River Ganga begins to flow southeast through the plains of northern India

Further, the river follows an 800 KM (500 mi) curving course passing through the city of Kanpur and after Kanpur the river joined with the Yamuna River at Allahabad. This point very well known to pilgrim and is known as the Sangam at Allahabad. Sangam is a sacred place in Hinduism. According to Hindu religion, a third river, the Sarasvati, met the other two rivers at this point.

River Hydro Electric Power Projects

Constructions of some hydroelectric projects are going on over some tributaries of the Ganga River. Three are being made by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and two by Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd. (UJVNL).

1.      Loharinag Pala Hydro Power Project is being made by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). This Hydro Electric Power Project has a capacity of 600 MW (150 MW x 4 Units). The main package has been awarded. The present executives' strength is 100+.The project is located on the Bhagirathi tributary in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand state. It is first project in downstream from origin of the Ganges at Gangotri.

2.      Tapovan Vishnugad Hydro Power Project is being made by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) in Joshimath city.

3.      Lata Tapovan Hydro Power Project is being made by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) in Joshimath

4.      Maneri Tiloth Hydro Power Project is being made by the Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd. (UJVNL) in Uttarkashi of 90 MW since 1984.

5.      Maneri Bhali Hydro Power Project is being made by the Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd. (UJVNL).

Economy

The Ganges Basin is one of the largest basin in India sub continent. About 451 million people living in Ganges basin and are directly and indirectly dependent upon the Ganga. The Ganges Basin is very fertile soil, which is instrumental to the agricultural economies of India and Bangladesh. The Ganga watered by the monsoons, this silt-enriched land produces a significant portion of the rice, wheat, millet, sugarcane, lentils, oil seeds, potatoes and barley needed to feed the world's second most populous nation, India. The Ganges and its tributaries provide a perennial source of irrigation to a large area. Along the banks of the river, the presence of swamps and lakes provide a rich growing area for crops such as legumes, chillies, mustard, sesame, sugarcane, and jute. There are also many fishing opportunities to many along the river, though it remains highly polluted.

The Ganges Basin with its fertile soil is instrumental to the agricultural economies of India and Bangladesh. The Ganges and its tributaries provide a perennial source of irrigation to a large area. Chief crops cultivated in the area include rice, sugarcane, lentils, oil seeds, potatoes, and wheat.

Tourism is another related activity in Ganga Basin. Haridwar, Allahabad, and Varanasi are the source of tourism and these three towns are considered as holy town to Hinduism. These three towns attract thousands of pilgrims to its waters. Thousands of Hindu pilgrims arrive at these three towns to take a dip in the Ganges, which is believed to cleanse oneself of sins and help attain salvation.