Growing encroachment, pollution raise concerns over Uttarakhand's Kho river

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* 

Environmental concerns are mounting over the condition of the Kho (Khoh) River, a major tributary of the Ramganga, as unchecked construction, mining, pollution and human intervention increasingly threaten its ecological health from its source in Uttarakhand to its confluence in Uttar Pradesh.

The river is formed at Dogadda in Uttarakhand's Pauri Garhwal district, where the Langurgad and Silgad streams meet before flowing towards Kotdwar and eventually joining the Ramganga River in Uttar Pradesh after a journey of about 112 kilometres. While official records identify the river's source elsewhere, several local residents and historians argue that Dogadda should be officially recognised as the river's point of origin because it marks the confluence where the Kho takes its name.

Residents and environmental observers say the river's condition has deteriorated significantly in recent years. They allege that numerous riverside resorts have come up along its banks, with water being diverted or blocked to create artificial pools for tourists. Vehicles are reportedly being driven through the riverbed at several locations, while mining activities have altered the river's natural course.

At the confluence of the Langurgad and Silgad streams in Dogadda, locals claim that sewage from nearby markets continues to flow into the river despite the installation of a municipal sewerage facility. They also point to the disappearance of traditional natural pools and increasing encroachment along the riverbanks.

The Kho River flows through a scenic stretch between Dogadda and Kotdwar, passing dense forests that form part of the Rajaji landscape and serve as an important habitat for wild elephants. However, by the time the river reaches Kotdwar and the Siddhbali temple area, it is subjected to heavy tourist activity, with visitors using several sections of the river for bathing and recreation.

Further downstream, the river enters Uttar Pradesh and continues through Bijnor district before meeting the Ramganga near Latifpur Bila village in Dhampur tehsil. A barrage at Sherkot diverts water from the Kho into an 82-kilometre feeder canal that ultimately supplies water to the Ganga near Garhmukteshwar.

According to local accounts, while the Kho contributes significantly to irrigation and helps replenish downstream river systems, farming communities living along its banks continue to face recurring floods during the monsoon and water shortages during the rest of the year. Farmers say the rivers frequently overflow during heavy rains, damaging crops, livestock and property, while irrigation remains largely dependent on rainfall.

Environmentalists argue that excessive diversion of river water, illegal mining, tourism-related construction and pollution are altering the river's natural ecology. They say the degradation of smaller Himalayan rivers has wider implications for biodiversity, groundwater recharge and the livelihoods of local communities.

They have urged the Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh governments to work with local bodies and communities to protect the river. Among the measures suggested are a ban on mining in the Kho River, removal of illegal obstructions to its natural flow, stricter action against unauthorised construction along its banks, improved sewage management and community-led conservation efforts.

Observers also stress that protecting the Kho River is important for conserving the wildlife habitats of the Rajaji landscape and the Kalagarh forest division, while safeguarding an important source of water for towns such as Dogadda and Kotdwar. They say preserving the river's ecological integrity is essential for sustaining both local communities and the larger river systems to which it contributes.

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*Human rights defender