Ghaggar River

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News: Villages along Haryana’s Ghaggar river, especially Sirsa and Fatehabad, report a rise in cancer cases allegedly linked to contaminated water.

About Ghaggar River

Ghaggar River
Source: Researchgate
  • Origin: It originates in the Shivalik Hills of Himachal Pradesh and Haryana.
  • It is intermittent and flows only during the monsoon season.
  • Course: After passing through the Ambala and Hissar districts of Haryana, it disappears into the Thar Desert in Rajasthan.
    • It is known as Ghaggar before the Ottu barrage, and as Hakra downstream of the barrage in the Thar Desert.
  • States through which it flows: It flows through Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. 
  • Total basin area: Its total basin area is 32132 sq. km.
  • It feeds two irrigation canals that extend into Rajasthan.
  • The Hakra River in Pakistan is considered the downstream continuation of the Ghaggar, together forming the Ghaggar-Hakra River system.
  • Tributaries: The main tributaries are the Kaushalya River, Markanda, Sarsuti, Tangri, and Chautang.
  • Historical Context: It is known as Sarasvati in historical texts. 
    • Many Harappan sites have been excavated along the banks of the river.
    • It is also linked to cultures from the protohistoric to the Medieval period.
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