Hidden treasure hunt comes with big risk for India's river divers
Yamuna River
in the Indian capital in search of his fortune.
The 67-year-old is one of hundreds of gotakhors, or divers, who go to the river to hunt for coins, trinkets, discarded bottles and shards of metal and wood that can be sold in Delhi's booming scrap market.
"I earn approximately 5,000 Indian rupees ($58) in a month from this," said Gupta, who spends his days working as a toilet cleaner near the shack where he lives. He saves the extra income for his two grandchildren, hoping to split it between them when they grow up.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Novo Horizonte: Hábito noturno essencial após 50+ para massa muscular (incrível)
Revista do Homem
Saiba Mais
Undo
Hindus consider rivers as holy and pilgrims toss offerings including coins, coconuts and flowers into the water for the "river goddess" who sustains lives by giving water for drinking and irrigation.
They regard the Yamuna River, which originates in the Himalayas, as one of the most sacred in India, cremating the dead on its banks and throwing their most precious possessions, including jewellery, into the waters along with their loved ones' ashes.
Live Events
Gupta and his fellow divers swim beneath the polluted waters, often risking their health in their search for riches.
He is at the river in the morning and evening seven days a week, and goes to his regular work during the day - a routine that he has followed for 35 years.
Arvind Kumar, 29, has been working on the river full time for nearly 12 years.
"There is no fixed income from this kind of work," said Kumar, who earns up to 600 Indian rupees per day on average, below the government's minimum daily wage of 710 Indian rupees for an unskilled worker.
Mostly, the divers collect coins, bottles and plastics.
Occasionally they might discover some slivers of gold. More rarely, gold rings and necklaces.
Sometimes, they also find bodies, and then the police might call on them to help retrieve them. If they see people carried away by the currents, they might try to rescue them.
This makes the divers "happier than the person rescued," Gupta said.
A devout Hindu, Gupta said he was not afraid of the river because he had the protection of "Mata Rani", the Hindu mother goddess.
"So why be scared?" he asked. "If she wants, I will die, if she wants me to live, she'll save me."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
19 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Dozens of Sri Lankan Tamils seek Indian citizenship
Dozens of Sri Lankan Tamils who were born in India and stayed in rehabilitation camps for over three decades have applied for citizenship. After verification of documents, their applications would be sent to the Union government for consideration, sources in the Commissionerate of Rehabilitation and Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils said. A preliminary scrutiny of the applications revealed that about 300 Sri Lankan Tamils were entitled to citizenship under the provisions of the Citizenship Act. The applications started pouring in after the Commissionerate conducted a demographic assessment covering 57,500 residents of the rehabilitation camps and assured them of assistance in obtaining citizenship. A majority of the applicants were individuals born in India on or after July 1, 1987, but before December 3, 2004 and born in India on or after December 3, 2004, with at least one of the parents being an Indian citizen and neither an illegal migrant. There were also some applicants who were Tamils of Indian origin having Indo-Sri Lanka passport issued by Indian missions in Sri Lanka for repatriates under the 1964 and 1974 agreements, the sources said. 'The Sri Lankan nationals have lived in the camps for over 30 years now. The Tamil Nadu government is extending support to integrate them locally and make them self reliant. While explaining the benefits of acquiring citizenship, we are also assuring them of assistance in case they wanted to return to their home country. Nine people have got Indian citizenship in the last two years,' an official involved in the demographic assessment said. Registration of marriages The Commissionerate has also taken an initiative to register the marriages of Sri Lankan Tamils across the State and issue certificates. It has identified 898 couples, mostly in Ramanathapuram, Vellore, Tirunelveli and Salem regions, who were awaiting registration of their marriage. To implement this programme, the Department of Registration had organised a two-day special camp on July 25 and 26 for registering the marriages of Sri Lankan Tamils residing in rehabilitation camps across Tamil Nadu. Inspector-General of Registration Dinesh Oliver Ponraj said Revenue Department officials would be involved to verify the claims of the applicants. Sub-Registrars were told to register and issue marriage certificates on the same day. The certificates would help individuals in the process of getting passports for themselves, spouses and children, he said. M. Vallalar, Commissioner, Commissionerate of Rehabilitation and Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils, said the marriage certificates would play an important role in establishing the status of applicants while seeking passport or citizenship. It would also reinforce the confidence of Sri Lankan Tamils that the State government was doing everything possible to make their lives better.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Rs5 Crore Allocation for Eco-Friendly Crematoriums
Nagpur: The civic body has allocated ₹5 crore in the current fiscal year to install air pollution control systems at major crematoriums across the city. In the first phase, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is installing systems at Gangabai Ghat, Mokshadham, and Manewada crematoriums—locations with high cremation volumes. Other crematoriums will be covered in subsequent phases as part of a broader initiative to make all cremation grounds environmentally sustainable. The initiative was discussed during a recent review meeting of the city-level committee overseeing the implementation of the air pollution control action plan. The meeting, chaired by NMC Commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari, also focused on expediting other measures aimed at improving Nagpur's air quality. Among the steps discussed, the civic body has proposed an additional ₹2 crore for installing sprinklers in air pollution hotspots. "A trial conducted by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (Neeri) in densely populated and high-traffic areas—such as HB Town, Lakadganj, Pardi, and other eastern localities—showed that water sprinkling significantly improved air quality," said Shweta Banerjee, superintending engineer (PHE). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo "According to Neeri's study, levels of suspended particulate matter dropped markedly with regular sprinkling. Additionally, mechanical sweeping machines deployed in these same hotspots have helped reduce dust pollution, further supporting the city's clean air efforts," she added. To enhance green cover, NMC has earmarked ₹5 crore for 2025–26 for developing new green spaces. The meeting also reviewed plantation and beautification works undertaken in the past three financial years—2022–23, 2023–24, and 2024–25. The commissioner instructed officials to expedite the completion of ongoing projects and submit detailed progress reports to the state-level air quality control committee. The meeting was attended by senior officials, including additional commissioner Vasumana Pant, chief engineer Manoj Talewar, deputy commissioners Rajesh Bhagat and Ganesh Rathod, as well as representatives from Neeri and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). Senior engineers and department heads from the sanitation and garden departments also attended the meeting.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Class 1 admissions stall under Anwesha scheme in Koraput
Koraput: Despite the start of the new academic session, the Koraput administration has not enrolled any new students in Class 1 under the state-run Anwesha scheme, leaving many poor children deprived of the opportunity for quality English-medium education. The Anwesha scheme, launched by the state govt in 2015, aims to provide free education to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students in reputed English-medium private schools, with hostel and other necessary facilities fully sponsored by the state. Confirming the development, district welfare officer (Koraput) Sunil Kumar Tandi said, "We have not received any instructions from the govt regarding fresh admissions into Class 1 under Anwesha for the current academic year. Once the directions come, we will act accordingly." Currently, Koraput district has seven hostels under the Anwesha programme, two each in Jeypore, Semiliguda, and Koraput, and one in Laxmipur, with 1,365 children from previous years enrolled in Classes II to X. However, no fresh admissions have been carried out this year. The lack of admissions has sparked concern among parents and rights activists, who fear the delay may deprive an entire batch of eligible children of the scheme's benefits. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Japanese hair growth method Hair's Rich Learn More Undo "Every year, we see poor tribal children getting a chance to study in English-medium schools through Anwesha. This year, no such opportunity has been given. The administration must take proactive steps," said Surendra Patnaik, a local education activist. Meanwhile, in the absence of fresh enrolment, activists have raised questions about the continuity and commitment to a scheme that has played a key role in uplifting education standards among marginalised communities in tribal-dominated districts like Koraput. "The govt should initiate the process soon to ensure that no eligible child is left behind," said Harish Muduli, a tribal activist from Koraput.
