Tomorrow on 12^th April is Yamuna Jayanti the birth anniversary of River Yamuna. The festival is also known as Yamuna Chhath  and is celebrated on Shashthi sixth day of Shukla Paksha in Chaitra month that falls during Navratri.  The auspicious day commemorates the decent of Goddess Yamuna on Earth and is therefore celebrated with great pomp and show in the city of Mathura and Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh.

While thousands of devotees and dependents seek Yamuna’s blessing and wish the river to flow eternally and keep providing sustenance and livelihoods to millions on the occasion to celebrate the day SANDRP has managed to collect the latest pictures of the River all through its entire 1376km length right from Yamnotri the origin place till it merges into Ganga at Allahbad. The pictorial report clearly shows the bleak future of the river which is also the largest tributary of our national river the Ganga.

There are pictures from remote places along Yamuna which are located at a long distance from internet services. Many of the senders even lack smart phone, camera and internet services despite that they have made efforts to make this report possible. So I express gratitude and extend my sincere thanks to all my friends living close to Yamuna for sending pictures and making the this report possible.

1. Jagmohan Bartwal, Kharadi, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand
2. Nishant Panwar, Vikas Nagar, Dehradun, Uttrakhand
3. Kiranpal Rana & Anil Sharma, Yamuna Nagar, Haryana
4. Jogindar Gurjar, Ramra, Shamli, Uttar Pradesh
5. Yayati Bhardwaj Delhi
6. Ravi Monga, Delhi
7. Manoj Daffali, Delhi
8. Raj Kumar, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
9. Gunvant Dhinoja, Gokul, Mathura , Uttar Pradesh 
10. Ashwani Misra, Agra, Uttar Pradesh
11. Radhey Shyam, Bateshwar, Uttar Pradesh
12. Jaikant, Ekdala, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh

Yamnotri Jagmohan Bartwal(09 April 2016) 

The picture shows  8Mw Gangani Small Hydro Project blocking the entire river course. The developer recently has done construction work on riverbed raising the bed level. We can see dry Yamuna course downstream and tiny JCB and workers still working in riverbed.

The project is located 35km dwonstream the Yamnotri shrine, Uttarkahsi in Uttarakhand. It has caused a lot of damage to environment and human property during June 2013 flash flood. Kindly read SANDRP blog to know on the issue in detail

as a result the river either trickles or at times completely runs dry for 3km in the stretch. The bridge in the pics  damaged during June 2013 flood due to hydro projects still  lies unreparied even after 3 years of deluge as a result a dozen of villages are suffering immensely.

Finally the water gushing out of Gangani power station.

Vikas Nagar, Dehradun Nishant Panwar (09-10 April 2016)

Entire River Yamuna water again put into 120 Vyasi Hydro Power Project reservoir site, Juddo, Yamuna Bridge, Nainbagh. The devasted and devoid riverbed is visible here. Explore SANDRP Blog  on the issue 

Vyasi Project Tunnel mouth in which Yamuna will be imprisoned

 

Hijecked water rejoining the river course at Juddo

River in natural state downstream project head

 

Natural stream meeting the river downstream project head

Vyasi project power house site, the 8km long tunnel ends here

Closer look at power house site

Tunnel muck dumped by the river (right side), the at the door step of hills

Scenic view of river

Cattles enjoying bath in river

Vikas Nagar town waste water entering the river, untreated

Entire Vikas Nagar Town dumped by the river. Read SANDRP Blog to know detail

Migratory birds visit the river here

People drink the water without a second think

We can judge the shallow level of water

Sunsets

Ravi Monga (Delhi) Yamuna Nagar, Karnal (03 April 2016)

Yamuna River downstream Hathini Kund Barrage, Yamuna Nagar. This is the first year the river has not dried up post NGT order increasing release from Hathini Kund Barrage in the river to 352 cusec from 160 cusec

Natural Stream Thapana & Seasonal Stream Somb (carrying Yamuna water) feeding the river with more water

Quality of the water

Kanalsi villagers Yamuna feeling gratitude to river (This pics is by Anil Sharma standing in left side)

Somb river bank full with natural vegetation protected by Kanalsi villagers

Ready to reap wheat harvest on the land adjoining to river

Maskara river another local tributary (right) joining the Yamuna river at Kalanaur Bridge Yamuna Nagar

Thus River Yamuna managing to flow at Karnal though the water level is too shallow

 

Ravi Monga a Yamuna devotee from Delhi  was more than happy and surprised to see a clean and flowing river. His group is campaigning for a perennial river at Mathura

Pics of Dhanaura Escape carrying Yamuna Nagar effluents falls in the Yamuna in Karnal

Panipat, Jogindar Gurjar (10 April 2016)

The impact of the pollution is visible at Panipat

River has turned into a pond beneath the bridge creating impression of sufficient water

Drain No. 2 carrying Panipat industrial effulents meets the river downstream Panipat bridge

Sonipat & Delhi (upstream Wazirabad Barrage) Yayati Bhardwaj 10 April 2016

River downstream Gauri Bridge Sonipat

The bridge is undergoing repairing work hence a seprate route was laid through the river

Sheepherd on soon to dry riverbed

 

Baghpat UP drain flowing towards River 

 

With falling water level boats have truned useless

as a result bikes, carts and people easily go across the river

Due to Drain No. 2 Panipat, Dhanaura Karnal the impact of pollution is visible here but cattles with no other option drink the water occasionally

Work of Ranny well in progrss Haryana govt. has been making several such ranny wells in Yamuna flood plain in Sonipat & Faridabad districts

Drain No. 2 which usually carry the Delhi potable water share meeting the river at Palla Delhi

This fisherman has got a 

good fish catch

Attracting make shift hut by the river at Palla

Farmers using all sort of chemical in farming

Sand mining going on in river in broad day light

Devotees worshiping and bathing in the river

A diya offered by devotee floating in the river

People report of falling water level

Farmer harvesting wheat crops grown by the river Palla Delhi

A massive leakage in DJB pipeline submerging croplands

Delhi Manoj Daffali (03 April 2016) 

Polluted as ever

Shergarh Mathura, Raj Kumar (11 April 2016)

People falling victom to the pollution they never causes

Gunvant Dhinoja, Gokul Barrage Mathura UP (11 April 2016)

Polluted river at Gokul Barrage

and devotees has no option other than bathing in a polluted Yamuna Ji

Ashwani Misra Agra UP (11 April 2016) 

River at Agra

Radhey Shyam Bateshwar UP (10 April 2016) 

Devotees at famous Bateshwar Ghat. Due to depth & distance impact of pollution decreasing onwards this place

The dying river is further revived by Chambal, Betwa and Ken as  a result

Ekdala Allahabad UP, Jaikant (11 April 2016)

we see river in much better and healthier form here. Villagers have also repoted of good dolphins citing this year

Same stretch in March 2016

Bhim Singh Rawat (we4earth@gmail.com) SANDRP

You may also like to explore below mentioned links to know more on Yamuna River