‘Save Guruganga’ campaign reaches Bidar

The ‘Save Guruganga’ campaign that began in Manik Nagar has reached the Bidar district headquarters, where residents from villages in and around Manik Nagar and Humnabad staged a ‘Bidar Chalo’ silent march on Monday demanding urgent action to protect the Guruganga stream from industrial pollution.

Background

Villagers say the Guruganga stream is a lifeline for several settlements in Humnabad taluk, supporting agriculture and the livelihoods of local communities. According to the protesters, unchecked discharge of industrial effluents has severely contaminated the waterbody, threatening both public health and the local ecosystem.

The Protest in Bidar

The demonstration was led by Shri Manik Prabhu Samsthan secretary Anandraj Manik Prabhu and joint secretary Chaitanyaraj Prabhu, along with Congress leaders Rajashekar Patil and Bheemrao Patil. Protesters travelled by train from Humnabad to Bidar and held a silent march from the railway station to the office of the Deputy Commissioner.

At the culmination of the march, the group submitted a memorandum to the district administration seeking immediate intervention, including the closure of industries allegedly discharging untreated effluents into the stream.

Allegations and Impact

Protesters alleged that the Guruganga’s water quality has deteriorated to the point that it is unfit even for agricultural use along several stretches. They further claimed that aquatic life, including fish and other organisms, was dying due to pollution.

Residents from the affected areas also reported a rise in health issues, which they attributed to prolonged exposure to and the consumption of contaminated water.

Demands to the Administration

In their memorandum, the protesters urged the district administration to:

• Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the stream’s water quality.
• Identify industries responsible for pollution and take stringent action against factories violating environmental norms.
• Immediately halt the discharge of untreated industrial waste into the Guruganga.
• Undertake measures to restore the stream to its original ecological condition.

What’s Next

The villagers warned that they would intensify the campaign if authorities failed to initiate concrete and timely measures to protect the waterbody and the communities dependent on it.

Published: October 5, 2026