As summer tightens its grip on Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi faces a stark truth about the Ganga River. Once a wide, majestic river spanning 70 to 80 meters during June, the Ganga now shrinks to just 30 to 35 meters, the smallest ever recorded. This dramatic decrease has shocked locals and revealed a sad scene along Varanasi’s famous ghats.

Varanasi, a city steeped in history and spirituality, has always relied on the Ganga for life and livelihoods. But now, the river shows a different picture. Where lively ghats once hosted rituals and bustling boat rides, now there are stranded boats on dry riverbeds. Garbage and rocks are exposed, ruining the beautiful scenery that draws millions of pilgrims and tourists every year.

The problems affecting the Ganga are many. Experts blame less rain, trees cut down near the river, too much sand taken from it, and dams built upstream. These issues, worsened by climate change, have greatly reduced the once powerful Ganga.

Despite government efforts, like the Namami Gange plan launched in 2014 with nearly Rs 40,000 crore, things haven’t improved much. Plans to clean and restore the Ganga haven’t worked as well as hoped. Many sewage treatment plants meant to clean the water don’t work right, letting pollution from towns flow into the river.

Namami Gange was supposed to save the Ganga, but things are very different, says environmentalist. The river still suffers from pollution, low water, and problems from illegal actions on its banks. Money spent hasn’t fixed these issues.

Critics say bad management and not enforcing rules let these problems continue. Even with new rules to keep a certain amount of water in the river and a new way to watch the river’s health, things are still not better.

The government says they will do more to save the Ganga. “We are still trying to fix the Ganga,” says New Minister of Jal Shakti, Dr. Rajesh Kumar. “New plans like watching the river’s health should help us save this important part of our country.”

But people who live near the Ganga and experts are not sure.
To save the Ganga, people need to work together. Better rules, laws that work, ways to fix problems without making new ones, and people talking will help.

As Varanasi gets hotter and the Ganga gets smaller, people hope for a future where the sacred river flows again.