The Vanishing Canals of Dehradun: A Tale of Urbanization and Environmental Decline

Today, Dehradun stretches from north to south, filled with buildings, houses, and shopping complexes under constant construction. The city, bustling with people and vehicles, paradoxically faces water shortages, particularly during summer, despite being one of India’s wettest places with an average annual rainfall of 2200 mm. The poignant words of Ruskin Bond in “Dirge for Dehradun” capture this transformation: “Over the hill wonder where the green grass went? All buried under the new cement. I wonder where the birds have flown? They have gone to find another home. What grows so fast before my eyes? A garbage dump, a million flies. Is this the place you celebrate?”

Declared an “Ecologically Sensitive Zone” 30 years ago, Dehradun’s fragility remains unprotected. The Doon Valley, surrounded by the Himalayas to the north, the Shivalik to the south, the Ganga to the east, and the Yamuna to the west, is one of the world’s most magnificent natural preserves. Historically mentioned in the Baburnama for its fine water, the valley’s rare ecosystem once supported a wide variety of flora and fauna. However, today, the garden town of Dehradun has deteriorated significantly. The past decade has seen a notable decline in water levels across the city, with drinking water contaminated by bacteria and annual waterlogging during monsoons. Most city sewage flows through open drains, and without a sewage treatment plant (STP), rivers like Bindal and Rispana Rao bear the burden of drainage. This once “city of grey hair and green hedges” has become a congested and polluted urban center. Population growth, vehicle proliferation, and improper garbage disposal have overshadowed the city’s former glory.

The British, recognizing Dehradun’s rich water resources, established an intricate canal network, using groundwater minimally and relying on canal and spring water for domestic and irrigation purposes. Presently, 80% of the city’s drinking water comes from groundwater, now found at depths between 20 m and 150 m, a significant dip from previous levels. The Doon Valley’s gravelly soil, once a natural water reservoir, is now overrun by paved roads, cemented houses, shopping complexes, and riverbed encroachments. This has increased runoff and reduced natural aquifer recharge, as seen in the diminished groundwater reserve at Sahastradhara and the vanished basmati fields at Majra. Dehradun’s canals, once integral to its environment, are now mostly covered by concrete slabs or used as waste repositories. The four main canal systems—Bijapur, Rajpur, Kalanga, and Jakhan—built during the British period and maintained by the State Irrigation Department, once spanned over 50 kilometers, intertwining the town.

Covering these canals to prevent water loss, waste dumping, and facilitate road widening has altered Dehradun’s landscape. Notable canals like Dharampur, Kargi, Kanwali, Kaulagarh, and Rajpur have sections now buried underground. This practice, while aiding traffic flow, has reduced the city’s water environment and contributed to environmental degradation, transforming the city into an urban heat island. The future of groundwater resources is bleak, particularly in areas like Sahastradhara with minimal reserves. Green spaces, vital for water recharge, are shrinking. Cemented surfaces prevent water from seeping into the ground, exacerbating the depletion of groundwater.

The transition of canals underground, initiated to alleviate traffic problems, has changed Dehradun’s face forever. The city has lost its distinctive water bodies and the accompanying benefits, such as temperature regulation and water for domestic use. Historical records highlight the significance of these canals to the region’s ecology and the people’s reliance on them for drinking and irrigation. The urbanization drive, especially post-2000 when Dehradun became Uttarakhand’s capital, has placed immense pressure on the city’s infrastructure. Open and green spaces, rivulets, and canals have been replaced by cemented areas, contributing to environmental degradation.

The preservation of Dehradun’s abundant monsoon rainfall through green spaces and water harvesting is imperative. Construction activities should be restricted in recharge areas to maintain groundwater levels. Green stretches not only recharge groundwater but also trap air pollutants and regulate local temperatures. As we aim to develop Dehradun into a sustainably urbanized city, promoting ecotourism and preserving its natural heritage should be our primary goals. Let’s transform Dehradun into one of the best sustainably developed urban cities in the world.