Even as Harshil and Dharali villagers are still trying to come to terms with last year’s rain disaster they are in panic once again due to the rising water level of the Bhagirathi River over the past 4-5 days, caused by the lake formed in the 2025 deluge. Villagers have sought protection from the government as they are having sleepless nights.
Villagers in the Harshil and Dharali area of Uttarkashi are fear-struck once again, alleging that the rising water level of the Bhagirathi River over the past 4-5 days has endangered their lives. The river is constantly hitting the buildings and other infrastructure near its bank in Harsil village.
Villagers complained that the rising water levels in the lower reaches of the Bhagirathi, Ganga River, have endangered local lives. They have been unable to sleep for the past five nights since June 26 when the river washed away a portion of a government guest house. They said that lake formed in Harshil in 2025 rain disaster that engulfed entire Dharali market and inflicted massive losses at Harshil. Continuous erosion caused by the river may lead to catastrophe in coming days.
A delegation of local public representatives and villagers called upon Uttarkashi district magistrate Prashant Arya on Tuesday and demanded protection with early remedial steps to meet the challenges looming over due to rising water level in the lake. Basanti Negi, former village pradhan demanded for solid arrangements for the safety of the local public in earliest possible time in view of heavy rains forcast in coming days.
delegation informed DM about how lives in Harshil are being threatened by the lake and rising river water. They alleged that risk for yet another disaster has aggravated as protective works planned post 2025 deluge were not completed in time. Threat of a big disaster has kept Harshil and other low-lying areas on the edge after Friday night as the rising water level of Bhagirathi washed away a Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam(GMVN) tin shed that lied close to the river bank” said Negi.
Delegation members complained that situation worsened on Saturday when rising water level resulted into uprooting of several trees and river water gushing towards several installations at Harsil. The situation is likely to threaten the existence of residential buildings, hotels, homestays, apple orchards, entire GMVN premises, local police station, and PWD guest house.
According to local villagers in the support fromocal administration they have been forced since Friday to remain vigilant over water level in the night.
Suchita Rautela current Pradhan of the Harsil stated, “strong water current of the water is continuously eroding residential settlements at several places along Harsil villages and other adjoining places. On Sunday, officials from the disaster management and irrigation departments inspected the site to assess the situation but nothing has been done after that.”
Rautela said that the lake formed near Harsil poses daily threat of disaster. “Villagers fear that existence of Harshil will be under threat in this monsoon season if this situation persists. Currently Bhagirathi is rapidly flowing towards GMVN guest house, the police station and other buildings lying close to the river” added Rautela.
It’s notable that rain disaster in 2025 had engulfed entire Dharali market on Gangotri Road and a huge much brought by the deluge berried most of the buildings under it. The disaster killed six persons while more than 100 people inuding several army personnel went missing.