Uttarakhand, the land where the Ganga originates, should ideally have the cleanest stretch of the river. Yet, a recent audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India reveals a troubling paradox: the river begins to lose its purity within a short distance of its origin.

According to the audit, the water quality of the Ganga remains in the Class A category near Devprayag, meaning it is fit for drinking after disinfection. However, within about 90 kilometres, by the time the river reaches Rishikesh and Haridwar, the quality drops to Class B, suitable only for outdoor bathing. This rapid deterioration raises serious questions about how development patterns along the river corridor are affecting one of India’s most sacred rivers.

The CAG report notes that over thirty sewage treatment plants (STPs) have been constructed in the Ganga basin towns of Uttarakhand under the Namami Gange Programme. On paper, this appears to be a significant achievement. However, the audit highlights a critical flaw: many of these plants are not effectively connected to sewer networks.

Under the Namami Gange programme, though significant investments have been made in sewage infrastructure in Uttarakhand, audit records show that about Rs 873 crore was spent on Ganga rejuvenation projects in the state between 2018 and 2023, of which nearly Rs 681 crore — roughly 78 per cent — was devoted to sewerage infrastructure, including sewage treatment plants. Despite these investments, the audit points out that several treatment plants remain underutilised because sewer networks and household connections were not completed alongside them. As a result, untreated sewage continues to reach the river through drains and tributaries.

In several towns, sewage continues to flow through open drains directly into the river because interception and household sewer connections were not completed alongside the construction of treatment plants. In such cases, STPs exist but remain underutilised because sewage simply never reaches them.

However, sewage is only one part of the challenge.

Over the past two decades, the Ganga corridor between Devprayag, Rishikesh and Haridwar has witnessed rapid urbanisation. Expansion of residential colonies, hotels, commercial establishments and transport infrastructure has significantly increased pressure on the river ecosystem.

Tourism has also grown dramatically. Rishikesh has emerged as a global destination for yoga, adventure tourism and river rafting, while Haridwar continues to receive millions of pilgrims, including Kanwars, each year. While tourism contributes to the local economy, it also generates large volumes of solid waste, grey water and plastic waste, much of which ultimately finds its way into the river system when waste management systems fail to keep pace.

Another growing concern is the dumping of construction and demolition waste along the riverbanks and into tributary streams. As towns expand and infrastructure projects multiply, debris from construction sites is often disposed of along river channels and floodplains. During the monsoon, this material is washed directly into the river, contributing to both pollution and alteration of natural river morphology.

The problem, therefore, lies not merely in the creation of infrastructure but in the lack of integrated planning. Effective river conservation requires three essential elements working together: interception of drains, a functional sewer network and efficient treatment plants, supported by strict regulation of waste disposal and responsible urban development along river corridors.

The Ganga in its upper Himalayan stretches possesses remarkable natural self-purifying capacity due to high oxygen levels, rapid flow and low temperatures. However, this natural resilience is not unlimited. Once pollution loads increase beyond a threshold, even a river as powerful as the Ganga cannot cleanse itself.

Uttarakhand occupies a unique and symbolic position in the Ganga basin. The condition of the river here sets the tone for the thousands of kilometres that follow across northern India. If pollution begins at the very source region, the challenge downstream becomes exponentially greater.

Cleaning the Ganga, therefore, requires a shift in approach. Instead of focusing primarily on announcing new projects, attention must be directed toward ensuring that existing infrastructure functions effectively while also addressing the broader environmental pressures of urbanisation, tourism and waste management.

The lesson from the CAG audit is clear: building treatment plants is only the first step. What matters ultimately is whether sewage and waste are prevented from entering the river in the first place. If Uttarakhand can bridge this gap between infrastructure and implementation, it can set an example for the entire Ganga basin.

If pollution begins within the source state of the Ganga, the challenge of cleaning the river downstream becomes exponentially harder. Uttarakhand, therefore, carries both the privilege and responsibility of protecting the river at its very beginning.

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