like previous years, before the Ganga canal gets closed for cleaning and maintenance purposes, the local traders and the priests of Ganga Mahasabha along with others have started venting their anger against the Uttar Pradesh irrigation department this year too. The Uttar Pradesh department closes the canal every year during Deepawali. The members of Akhil Bhartiya Teerth Purohit Mahasabha have submitted a memorandum to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, asking him to ensure that the flow of the holy river is not disrupted during festive days.
The critical refrain is that the practice of disrupting the flow of Ganga around the time when Dushehra is celebrated is affecting all them gravely. According to them, even 20 years ago, the canal used to be closed after Deepawali. “It did not affect us then as much it is doing now. When the festive season is at its peak, closing the canal is stopping the pilgrims/tourists from coming to Haridwar and Rishikesh.
This is the time when we expect large footfalls from States like West Bengal and Gujarat. The organising committees of Har Ki Pauri and other religious communities have been venting protest against the Uttar Pradesh irrigation department’s annual move for years on end. However, all our pleas have fallen on deaf ears. Our demand is to keep the water level at the minimum four feet as per the rules laid down. But the department is not inclined to abide by them. Consequently, both the priests and the traders are suffering,” said an elderly priest associated with the mahasabha.
Notably, during the British regime, a pact was signed following a movement between the priests and the erstwhile United Province government according to which 1,000 cusecs of water must be maintained at Har Ki Pauri all round the year.
A delegation comprising the national president of the mahasabha Mahesh Pathak, national secretary Shrikant Vashishth and vice-president Ramkrishna Tiwari met the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recently. Pathak said, “We told the Chief Minister about the plight of the pilgrims. He admitted that the closure is hurting the feelings of pilgrims.
He further commented that the canal should not be closed around this time of the year when the festive time is peaking. We hope that something positive would come up this time which would delay the closure by a few days till the Deepawali is over.”
Meanwhile, head of Yuva Teerth Purohit Mahasabha Nikunj Khewadia warned that a full-blown movement would be launched this year if the closure of the canal comes during the festive time.