Who am I? I am Ganga River known with this name in Hindustani but officially; it was The Ganges.
I am one of the important water body and river in India. I flow through India and Bangladesh. I flow from western of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand, India and passes through South and east of the Gigantic Plain of North India.
I give birth to two rivers because I divide into Hooghly also known as Adi Ganga and the Padma river.
Location: Uttarakhand, India.
Length : 2,525 km
Elevation : 3,892 m.
Depth: 17m
Coordinates: 30°59’N 78°55’E.
Basin : 1,080,000 km2
My status and importance in my locality.
I, The Ganga River; I am one of the sacred rivers to the Hindus in India, I was worshipped by the Hindus in their religion/belief called Hinduism and I was personified as the goddess Gangã. I also serve millions of Indians ranging from foods and for my water. I house about 350 species of fish, Crocodilians and turtles, and the most famed fauna; the fresh water Ganges river dolphin declared as Indians national aquatic animal.
I have been used for irrigation since the ancient times, especially one of my tributaries called the Yamuna. I Provide dams (barrage at Farakka. Tehri Dam and Bansagar Dam) and canals and as well as hydroelectricity. When we talk about tourism, I attract thousands of pilgrims, the pilgrims dip their body in me because they believe it will cleanse their sins and be saved.
My Challenges
Human beings did not treat me well in the aspect of pollution, I was highly polluted and this makes me be a treat for both human and fishes (more than 265 species), 90 amphibians and also The Ganges river dolphin. The effort to make me pollution free has been proved abortive due to some factors like lack of technical expertise, poor environmental planning and lack of will and support from government and religious authorities.
I am Ganga river, I support Life, treat me with dignity.
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