Ganga canal shut for 20 days for annual maintenance work
HARIDWAR: Gangnahar Ganga canal has been closed for nearly three weeks for annual maintenance in Haridwar on Friday. The water flow will resume from November 4, officials of Uttar Pradesh Irrigation said.
According to sub-divisional officer, UP irrigation department, Shiv Kumar Kaushik, the Ganga canal has been closed for 20 days as part of annual maintenance and cleaning work.
“On the festive day of Diwali, waterflow in the canal will be resumed. Closure for a certain time is imperative for maintenance and cleaning purposes,” said Kaushik.
Owing to the Ganga canal closure, water level at Har-KiPauri and adjacent Ganga ghats was minimum, causing inconvenience to pilgrims, teerth purohits, priests and tourists.
Pilgrims were caught by surprise as they arrived at Ganga ghats for a holy dip and performing of rituals.
Ganga Sabha, which manages the affairs of the sanctum sanctorum of Brahamkund, Har-Ki-Pauri, however, will continue to organise morning and evening Ganga aarti, said seers.
Expressing displeasure over restricting flow of Ganga during festive season, Teerth Maryada Raksha Samiti conveyor Sanjay Chopra suggested that the irrigation department should have opted for the maintenance work post Diwali.
Khusbhoo Chabbra, a resident of Jwalapur, said, “During the festive season, Ganga closure is hurting the sentiments of devotees as they can’t take a sacred Ganga dip and have to be content with just sprinkling Ganga jal.”
Built in 1854 by Britishers to provide portable and irrigation water till Kanpur, the Ganga canal is approximately 560 km long.