In Uttarakhand's Devprayag, Villagers Hold Torch March as Water Crisis Drags on for Months
New Delhi: Plagued by a severe drinking water shortage, residents of Hinsariyakhal village, in Devprayag region of Uttarakhand, have taken to the streets, raising slogans and demanding that the crisis be resolved soon.
A video of the protest, shared by Uttarakhand-based news platform Kumaon Jagran was widely circulated on Thursday (May 28) evening. Led by panchayat member and district president of the Devprayag Congress Committee, Uttam Singh Aswal, scores of villagers marched in the evening with torches, protesting against the government and the water department over the issue.
The residents have complained that they are unable to get clean drinking water, and have accused the government and local administration of ignoring their concerns.
People carrying torches on the streets for drinking water in Uttarakhand.
That alone says everything.
Massive protest erupts in Hinsariyakhal, Devprayag after months of severe water shortage, with angry villagers warning that if even basic necessities are not ensured, the… pic.twitter.com/EFpTtBPmJt
— Kumaon Jagran (@KumaonJagran) May 28, 2026
The irony is in the fact that Devprayag is where the confluence of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers form the Ganga river. These are also not the only water bodies in the Uttarakhand, a state with more than a dozen major and minor rivers.
Another video of the protest was shared by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on X. The party accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, for making “grand promises” like the ‘Har Ghar Jal’ programme, while people are forced to protest for basic water requirements.
उत्तराखंड के देवप्रयाग स्थित हिंसरियाखाल में पानी की भारी किल्लत से परेशान लोग अब सड़कों पर मशालें लेकर उतर आए हैं।
“हर घर जल” के बड़े-बड़े दावे करने वाली BJP सरकार के राज में आज लोग बूंद-बूंद पानी के लिए प्रदर्शन करने को मजबूर हैं। pic.twitter.com/gnft9gD02A
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) May 28, 2026
“Residents of Hinsariyakhal, in Devprayag, Uttarakhand, plagued by a severe water shortage, have now taken to the streets with torches in hand. Under the BJP government, which made grand promises of "Har Ghar Jal," people today are forced to protest for every drop of water,” the AAP said in Hindi.
The water shortage in Devprayag has been going on for several months, while temperatures have been soaring across northern India, stirring anger among villagers who warn that if these basic necessities are not ensured, the agitation will intensify further.
High temperatures, forest fires
While parts of the state received rains on Friday (May 29), between February 15 and May 24 this year, Uttarakhand recorded 375 forest fire incidents, according to official data reported by PTI.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 29, 2026
Uttarakhand witnessed unusually high daytime temperatures in May, with Dehradun recording temperatures above 40°C for several days in the last two weeks, as per India Meteorological Department, while the higher regions too faced high temperatures.
Per officials, a total area of 319.67 hectares has been affected by forest fires. Chamoli remained the worst-affected region, accounting for 133 fire incidents this season that damaged 67.29 hectares.
Pauri Garhwal reported 42 incidents affecting 58.5 hectares; Dehradun 34 fires covering 52.46 hectares; Tehri Garhwal and Rudraprayag recorded 42 and 37 incidents, impacting 39.5 hectares and 25.02 hectares, respectively. Uttarkashi reported 18 incidents affecting 15.85 hectares, and Nainital 13 incidents covering 17.35 hectares.
This article went live on May twenty-ninth, two thousand twenty six, at twenty-six minutes past six in the evening.The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
