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India’s Formidable Green Warrior Refuses to Give Up Fight For Ganga

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8 years ago

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India's Formidable Green Warrior Refuses to Give Up Fight For Ganga

~By Rashme Sehgal

With the meeting between Minister of Sanitation and Drinking Water Uma Bharti and Prof GD Agarwal (Swami Gyan Swaroop Sanand) in Hardwar proving a failure last week, river activists across India are planning to intensify their stir to get the Modi government to acquiesce to this formidable environmentalist’s demands to restore the flow of the Ganga and to stop polluting the river.

Recognising the need to clean the Ganga on an immediate basis, on July 27, the National Green Tribunal asked the government to educate people about how the Ganga water was unfit both for drinking and bathing purposes.

The NGT declared that if cigarette packets can contain a warning saying it is injurious for health, why not the people be informed about the adverse effects (of Ganga water). The public can be educated by the authorities installing display boards at a gap of 100 kilometres. On July 19, the NGT had admonished the government stating that already it had spent over Rs 7000 crores in the last two years to clean the river, it still remained highly polluted.

From August 3, Agarwal’s supporters have been on a relay fast in the capital. On July 30th on the 38th day of Agarwal’s fast, his supporters and Ganga activists from 11 states converged for a prayer meeting at Rajghat. They are now planning to hold these prayers meetings at Rajghat on a weekly basis.

Agarwal is on a fast unto death at the Matri Sadan ashram in Hardwar to force the government’s hand to clean up the Ganga river for which he is willing to give up his life.

Bharti assured him that the Ganga Bill – an amended form of the “National River Ganga (Conservation and Management) Act 2012″ drafted by some non-government members of National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) – will be passed by Parliament during the winter session of Parliament. The amendments will include the banning of all pollutants in the river as also removal of encroachments along the river.

Bharti even got Agarwal to speak on the phone to Minister of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation Nitin Gadkari but Agarwal refused to bend. He told both ministers in no uncertain terms that  unless some concrete step were taken to save the Ganga there was no question of ending his fast which entered its 46th day on Sunday.

Agarwal had earlier written to Gadkari that the Ganga conservation law ensuring concrete action be taken to clean up the Ganga be passed in this Monsoon Session of Parliament. But Gadkari had in turn informed  him that the earliest the bill could be presented in Parliament was during the Winter session.

“Just placing the bill in Parliament does not mean anything. It can be kept pending for 2-3 years and then also there can be many changes in the bill. The day the Bill is passed, I will break my fast,” said Agarwal.

Agarwal has undertaken several fasts in the past in a determined attempt to save the Ganga. Even in 2013, he had put his life at stake by undertaking a three-month long fast. The previous Manmohan Singh government had to acquiesce to his demands and had stopped three key projects on the Ganga in Uttarakhand including the Loharinag-Pal Hydropower project. They had also banned all construction on the upper stretch of Bhagirathi from Gaumukh up to Uttarakashi.

Rajendra Singh and other activists have been actively garnering support for Agarwal including appealing to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and save his life.

Criticising their lack of  commitment in cleaning up India’s most important river, Rajendra Singh  said, “Ever since the BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has come to power at the Centre, the Ganga has been completely ignored. The Prime Minister had proclaimed that he was the son of the Ganga but has acted in a contrasting manner. Nor have they focused on reviving a single tributary of the river without which  the Ganga cannot survive.”

Physicist and water activist Prof Vikram Soni also pointed out, “If the country has a soul, we should all support Prof GD Agarwal who has placed his life on the line for the Ganga. It is only right for the Prime Minister to go to him and not allow him to sacrifice his life like this. Modi must reassure him that concrete action will be taken on the ground so that his life is saved.”

Singh and other activists also met Congress President Rahul Gandhi and JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav to seek their support and also to ensure the issue be raised in the current session of  Parliament.

Agarwal became a Hindu ascetic some years ago and took on the name of Swami Gyan Swaroop Sanand, spending his time at the Matri Sadan ashram in Hardwar. The Matri Sadan ashram has emerged as the hub of the save the Ganga movement and has witnessed forty fasts to save the Ganga including the fast by Swami Nigamanand resulting in his death.

He has an impeccable academic background, having previously held the chair at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur. Former prime minister Indira Gandhi had appointed him as the first member secretary of the Central Pollution Control Board and he has also been a member of the National Ganga River Authority (NGRA). He resigned from the NGRA in 2012 stating that it was a toothless organisation that was not focusing on its job of cleaning up the Ganga. Three other members resigned with him.

He had between 2008 and 2012 conducted four fasts to save the Ganga forcing the then Minister of Environment Jairam Ramesh to enter into negotiations with him that led to the cancellation of all hydro projects on the Bhagirathi river, a tributary of the Ganga.

This time, though, the government both at the state and central level have failed to respond to him in an effective manner. Although Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made restoring the Ganga to health one of his planks while campaigning for the 2014 elections, his government’s Namani Gange project to clean the river has so far failed to come up with any substantive results.

“I appreciate Harish Rawat (former Uttarakhand chief minister) and all the river activists across the country who came to Delhi and held prayers in Rajghat,” Agarwal told reporters.

But whether the government is able to give a concrete commitment to this frail but determined green warrior is yet to be seen. It is an open secret that the Modi government has no clear road map on just how they plan to clean up the Ganga and its many tributaries by reviving both their flow and ending the huge amounts of sewage and industrial pollution being dumped in it.

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CBSE denies OSM portal data breach, terms online allegations misleading

CBSE has strongly dismissed social media allegations of a security breach in its On-Screen Marking (OSM) portal, clarifying that the exposed URL is a mere testing site containing no actual student data or exam marks.

Published

12 hours ago

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May 26, 2026

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CBSE

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has refuted viral claims circulating on social media regarding a security breach in its On-Screen Marking (OSM) portal. In an official statement, the national education board dismissed the allegations, labeling them completely false and highly misleading.

The clarification comes after social media posts suggested that sensitive student records and internal assessment systems had been compromised by unauthorised actors. Media reports indicate that the board has categorically denied any leak of actual student marks or examination-related details.

Testing site hosted no real student details

According to the statement released by the board, the web address highlighted in the viral allegations belongs strictly to a testing environment. The board clarified that this URL is utilized purely for internal evaluations, data sampling, and platform reviews during development phases.

The board firmly reiterated that no live student details, official scoreboards, or active examination data are stored on this testing site. Authorities have advised stakeholders and students to refrain from panic and avoid circulating unverified rumors that challenge the integrity of the examination system.

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Congress Dismisses Karnataka Leadership Transition Rumors After Six-Hour Delhi Meet

The Congress party has rejected ongoing rumors regarding a leadership change or a rotating Chief Minister formula in Karnataka, stating that a recent six-hour meeting in Delhi focused strictly on the upcoming Rajya Sabha and MLC elections.

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12 hours ago

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May 26, 2026

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The Congress party has strongly downplayed the intense political buzz surrounding a potential leadership transition or a change in the Chief Minister’s post in Karnataka. Following a marathon six-hour meeting with the state’s top leadership in New Delhi, the party explicitly rejected the ongoing speculation, labeling it as having “no reality.”

A brief statement issued to the media after the high-level meeting advised against spreading rumors, clarifying that the discussions were entirely centered on upcoming electoral strategies rather than structural changes within the state government. The party stated that the deliberations solely revolved around the state’s three vacant Rajya Sabha seats and the upcoming Member of Legislative Council (MLC) elections.

Rajya Sabha and MLC Polls Take Center Stage

The high-stakes meeting was attended by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leader Rahul Gandhi, and party General Secretary KC Venugopal, alongside Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

Briefing the media post-meeting, KC Venugopal stated that conversations were strictly confined to the Rajya Sabha and MLC elections, emphasizing that there is no truth to any other political speculation. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also confirmed that the agenda of a potential cabinet expansion or a leadership shift did not come up during the six-hour-long discussion.

Background of the Power Struggle

The question of leadership in Karnataka has remained a recurring theme for over a year. Supporters of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar have consistently maintained that the central leadership promised a rotating Chief Ministership arrangement when the government was formed after the 2023 assembly elections.

Speculation had intensified recently as the ruling government faced local anti-incumbency pressures alongside renewed political activity from the opposition bench. Some internal reports had even indicated a push from within certain sections of the high command, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, for a leadership revamp.

Balancing Caste Equations and Party Structure

The central leadership has navigated the situation cautiously to maintain political stability. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, 80, commands a powerful “Ahinda” support base—a coalition comprising minority communities, backward classes, and Dalits. This social alliance was crucial in helping the party navigate the traditional Vokkaliga and Lingayat caste dynamics during the 2023 elections.

Although the rotation issue had previously gained significant momentum when the government completed two years in office, the party high command had chosen to maintain the status quo to avoid any adverse electoral impact in neighboring assembly elections, such as in Tamil Nadu. With those elections concluded, supporters of the 64-year-old Deputy Chief Minister had expressed optimism for a transition. Shivakumar currently holds the dual responsibility of being the Deputy Chief Minister as well as the state Congress chief, signaling his critical organizational value to the party. However, for the time being, the party high command has firmly signaled that the current leadership structure will remain unchanged.

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Cricket news

Bowlers may hold the key in high-stakes IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 at Dharamsala

Although the media build-up centers on the batting heavyweight clash between Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill, the IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 in Dharamsala is set to be decided by the bowling consistency of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Siraj.

Published

20 hours ago

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May 26, 2026

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Flat pitches, towering sixes, and relentless run-scoring have defined the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 so far. However, when Gujarat Titans (GT) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) lock horns in Qualifier 1 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamsala, the contest could ultimately hinge on the bowlers.

The HPCA Stadium has proved to be unforgiving for bowlers due to its short boundaries. A teaser of what could unfold was evident during recent net sessions, where Gujarat Titans’ Jos Buttler and Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Tim David regularly launched monstrous hits out of the stadium. In the three matches played at this venue this season, teams crossed the 200-run mark five times, with the lowest score being 199/8. An average of nearly 25 maximums per match has been hit here, promising another potential run-fest.

Moving past the Kohli vs Gill narrative

While media attention focuses on the iconic battle between the ‘King’ Virat Kohli and the ‘Prince’ Shubman Gill—hailed as the heir to Indian cricket’s batting legacy—the true deciding factor might lie elsewhere. Both batters look in pristine touch. Gill occupies the second spot in the Orange Cap race with 616 runs from 13 matches, trailing behind his opening partner Sai Sudharsan. Meanwhile, Kohli has bounced back from a brief mid-tournament slump by smashing a sparkling century, taking his tally to 557 runs this season.

Despite the incredible batting firepower on display, the bowling units are expected to dictate which team blinks last. Media interactions with team managements highlighted that consistency and self-belief within the respective bowling departments have been the defining traits of both squads this season.

Powerplay battles to decide the finalist

For RCB, veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar leads the charge alongside Kagiso Rabada for GT, with both spearheads locked as the joint-highest wicket-takers across the two sides at 24 wickets each. Bhuvneshwar holds a slight edge due to a superior economy rate. Close behind them is GT’s Mohammed Siraj, who has taken 17 wickets so far. With supporting acts like Josh Hazlewood, Jason Holder, Prasidh Krishna, Rasikh Salam Dar, and spinners Rashid Khan and Krunal Pandya in the mix, the match promises an intriguing tactical battle.

Gujarat Titans’ assistant coach Vijay Dahiya acknowledged that negotiating Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the powerplay will be a massive task, but reminded that GT possesses equal firepower in Siraj and Rabada. “If you talk about the powerplay, our numbers are among the best in this tournament,” Dahiya stated.

RCB captain Rajat Patidar echoed similar views, placing immense faith in his bowling attack to stop GT’s prolific opening duo of Gill and Sudharsan. “Our strength is bowling. The way we bowl in the powerplay will be very crucial. We’ll look for early wickets and that is what we have done throughout the tournament,” Patidar remarked.

In a tournament dominated by towering batting displays, the team whose bowling unit holds its nerve under the Dharamsala lights will seal a direct spot in the IPL final.

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