Festivities shadowed by the plight of the Narmada: Dying tributaries 'ignored'

By Raj Kumar Sinha* 

Every year on Sharad Purnima, the government organizes the grand Narmada Mahotsav at Bhedaghat. However, at the same time, about 136 MLD of sewage (wastewater from drains and sewers) from Jabalpur was directly entering the Narmada River. Currently, Jabalpur manages to treat approximately 58.7 MLD of sewage, while nearly 115 MLD still flows untreated into the Narmada.

The Narmada River is the lifeline of central India, providing millions with drinking water, irrigation, and livelihoods. Yet deforestation along the tributaries of the Narmada has had a deep impact on the river, affecting its ecology, hydrology, and local communities. The Narmada has a total of 41 major and minor tributaries, 19 of which are over 54 kilometers long. These tributaries bring water from the Satpura, Vindhya, and Maikal ranges, keeping the Narmada flowing year-round.

Many of these tributaries are now on the verge of drying or being converted into urban drains. Encroachment along riverbanks, tree cutting in water catchment areas, and illegal sand mining have weakened the river’s very essence. Major tributaries such as Tawa, Banas, Sher, Dudhi of Betul, Hirda, Ors, Goi, Shakkar, Banjar, Halon, Budhner, and others originate in dense forests. Deforestation in these areas has reduced groundwater infiltration, decreasing the flow of springs and small streams. As a result, tributaries are becoming seasonal, and the Narmada’s annual discharge has declined and become irregular.

Previously, dense forests slowed rainwater, releasing it gradually into the river, ensuring the Narmada flowed throughout the year. Now, sudden floods occur during monsoon, and water levels fall rapidly in summer, disrupting the hydrological cycle of the Narmada basin. Soil erosion has increased due to deforestation, causing silt accumulation in tributaries and increasing sedimentation in Narmada reservoirs (such as Tawa, Bargi, Indira Sagar, and Sardar Sarovar), reducing their water storage capacity. Loss of forests has broken wildlife corridors, reduced riverbank biodiversity, and affected the river’s self-purification capacity.

Thousands of villages in the Narmada valley, dependent on these rivers for agriculture, fishing, and drinking water, now face water scarcity and livelihood crises. Declining groundwater levels have caused wells and borewells to dry up. About 60,000 hectares of forest and wildlife land have been submerged under dams on the Narmada, including Bargi, Indira Sagar, Omkareshwar, and Sardar Sarovar. Proposed Morand-Ganjal and Basania dams would submerge an additional 5,000 hectares of dense forest.

If the forests of the Narmada’s tributaries are not restored, river flows will continue to decline, the floodplain area will shrink, and there will be long-term negative effects on central India’s water balance. Restoration of forests in the catchment areas of tributaries, soil conservation, rainwater harvesting, and community-based river revival initiatives are essential.

In recent years, excessive and illegal sand mining in the Narmada has severely disturbed its natural balance. Sand is not just a construction material but the foundation of the river’s ecosystem. Mining has deepened the riverbed, accelerated bank erosion, and destabilized its natural course. In many places, the river’s shape and direction have changed. Sand also filters and replenishes groundwater; its removal has reduced groundwater recharge, causing wells and borewells to dry in several areas of the Narmada valley. 

Sand removal has worsened floods during monsoons and droughts in summer. Fish, turtles, and other aquatic life are losing their habitats, and the river’s self-purification capacity has diminished. Illegal sand mining has affected local farmers, fishermen, and boatmen, and in some areas has increased crime and social tension. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Madhya Pradesh High Court have repeatedly prohibited illegal mining, but administrative lapses have allowed the problem to persist. Balanced mining through scientific methods and local community participation is the only sustainable solution.

Another significant issue is that many towns and cities along the Narmada have become major sources of river pollution, primarily from domestic sewage, industrial waste, plastic, and religious offerings. Consequently, Narmada’s water has become largely unfit for drinking, with Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels exceeding safe limits in many areas. Near Hoshangabad and Jabalpur, fecal coliform bacteria counts are dangerously high, threatening both ecology and human health.

The population of districts in the Narmada basin was around 7.8 million in 1901, rising to 33.1 million in 2001. It is estimated to reach 48.1 million by 2026, further increasing pressure on the valley’s natural resources. Therefore, while celebrating the Narmada Mahotsav, it is equally important to reflect on the critical issues facing the ailing Narmada.

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*Bargi Dam Displaced & Affected Association, Jabalpur