The Shipra river which flows towards the north, contrary to most rivers, has been degenerated into a sewer with garbage being dumped in the river apart from the sewer. After concerned locals cleaned up the riverbed despite apathy of the local body, the district administration has taken cognisance of the issue and directed action against those polluting this river.
On the weekend, joint magistrate Vandana Singh conducted a site inspection of the Shipra river. She directed officials of the municipal council to lodge first information report against those draining sewers into the river. Stringent action will be taken against those damaing the environment, stressed the joint magistrate.
It should be mentioned here that since the Himalayas are located in the north, most rivers flow from the north whereas the Shipra flows towards the north. The Shipra river is important not only from the environmental point of view but also from the religious and cultural point of view. Originating near the town of Bhawali in Nainital district, the Shipra river used to be clean once upon a time. However, as the population grew in the region, sewers were drained and garbage was dumped indiscriminately into the river. While the high court of Uttarakhand in the recent past accorded human entity status to rivers, the situation here appeared to be contrary to desirable. The local residents in various localities channelised their sewers into the Shipra. Some observers point out that while Swachchh Bharat mission is being undertaken aross the nation, the presence of the BJP chairman of the municipal council did not help in improving the sanitation situation here so far.
Jagdish Singh Negi, the head of Shipra Kalyan Samiti, linked to cleaning the river, said that they have been working for the past two years to clean the revive the river but the level of garbage in the river is so much that it will take more time to achieve success in the cleaning efforts. Negi is working with his friends to clean the river and raise public awareness but states that the rising population pressure and apathy of the government is worsening the situation.
He informs that no sewer pits have been constructed for about 15 homes near the Devi Temple in Bhawali and the sewage from these homes is drained directly into the Shipra.
There are various legends associated with the Shipra river. It is said that once many years ago when a bhandara (community feast) was being held on June 15 at famed Baba Neeb Karoli’s Kainchi Dham, the ghee got over after which a can was dipped into the Shipra with the water collected turning into ghee.
It is said that in the past the Shipra river was in a very good and clean form but with the rise of population and decrease in awareness stretches of the river were turned to dumping grounds. The cremation ground in Bhawali is on the banks of the north-flowing Shipra, due to which it is also considered special. Till about a few decades ago, people from Nainital and other distant places used to cremate their departed kinfolk here as it was located on the banks of the north-flowing river. However, now the river beside the cremation ground is contaminated with sewer water with the contaminants being carried up to Kainchi Dham and further. Scholars point out that it is also mentioned in the Skandpuran that any river that flows towards the north direction is called Shipra and is also categorised as a very sacred river.