While the authorities focus on Clean Ganga mission, the important tributaries of the national river appear to be dying out due to work on hydro power projects in Uttarakhand. With Himalayan rivers like the Alaknanda and Dhauliganga rivers in Chamoli district being diverted into tunnels for hydro power projects, researchers point out that not only would this lead to major environmental damage but would also lead to considerable damage to sites of cultural and religious importance. Even now, the once might Alaknanda appears to be more of a trickle due to diversion of its waters into the tunnel.

Construction work on the proposed hydro power projects has drastically altered the Alaknanda and Dhauliganga rivers. If the construction of the two proposed hydro power projects on Dhauliganga river is completed, the major portion of this river will be flowing through a tunnel. Construction of the lata-Tapovan project by the NTPC, which is presently pending clearance from the Supreme Court, if approved would result in the Dhauliganga being restricted largely inside the tunnel.  The river would be diverted into the tunnel here, will be visible in the open for a few metres before entering the tunnel from Tapovan to Helang and after being visible for a few metres here, will again  disappear into the tunnel to Pipalkoti. Observers point out that if the lata Tapovan project is made, one of the five Prayags, Vishnuprayag may not remain as it is now. If the project is constructed, the Dhauliganga will not remain the river that it is now which in turn would alter Vishnuprayag- the confluence of the Alaknanda and Dhauliganga rivers. The site of the lata-Tapovan project falls in the buffer zone of the Nanda Devi national park which has made many question the Ministry of Environment an Forests approval to this project. On the other hand, the Alaknanda hydro power project is proposed on the Alaknanda river near Badrinath. This project is presently pending in the Supreme Court. If this project is cleared, its construction would result in the diversion of the Alaknanda river into a tunnel from Badrinath to Venakuli. From here the tunnel from lambagad to Marwadi has already been constructed in the past. Scientists point out that restricting the rivers in tunnels will not only destroy the river-ecology but would a have a considerable detrimental effect on the environment. Dr Manish Mehta, who has been conducting detailed research on rivers says, that diverting rivers into tunnels will destroy the rich riverine biodiversity. There are varied riverine creatures and life forms found in the rivers of the high Himalayan region and these will not survive if the rivers are made to flow mostly through tunnels, he added.