A group of volunteers has stepped up to clean the trash-strewn bed of the Ganga in Haridwar after the river’s water supply was reportedly halted for 20 days, exposing heaps of garbage, discarded clothes and plastic waste along its dry stretch.
A group of volunteers has stepped up to clean the trash-strewn bed of the Ganga in Haridwar after the river’s water supply was reportedly halted for 20 days, exposing heaps of garbage, discarded clothes and plastic waste along its dry stretch.
Instagram user Sohit Kumar shared a video capturing the cleanup drive, highlighting the growing problem of waste being dumped into one of India’s most revered rivers. According to Sohit, the water supply to the Ganga in Haridwar had been stopped for 20 days and was scheduled to resume on the night of Diwali.
The video offers a glimpse of the riverbed, which would ordinarily remain submerged beneath flowing water. As Sohit walked across the exposed stretch, his camera captured piles of rubbish scattered across the dry ground, including discarded garments, plastic and other waste left behind by visitors.
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Several people could be seen climbing down onto the riverbed and gathering the accumulated garbage. Sohit approached some of the volunteers, who explained that they return every year to clean up the waste left behind by visitors. According to them, the volume of rubbish remains alarmingly high each time, sometimes matching or even exceeding previous years.
Sharing the video on Instagram, Sohit wrote in the caption, “Devotees of Ganga came forward to clean Ganga ,” adding that the water supply was expected to resume on the night of Diwali.
The footage sparked reactions online, with viewers expressing concern over the careless disposal of waste in the sacred river. Several users criticised those who dump rubbish and old clothes along the riverbed, pointing to the damage such practices can cause to the environment.
Others praised the volunteers for taking responsibility and stepping forward to clean the area.
