A long road to a better future

About 71 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, mostly in the form of oceans. More than 68 percent of the Earth’s fresh water is stored in ice caps and glaciers, while just over 30 percent is in groundwater. Only about 0.3 percent of our fresh water is in the surface waters of lakes, rivers and swamps.

The rest of all water on Earth, more than 99 percent, is unusable for humans and many other living things. It’s remarkable that the water that supports all terrestrial and aquatic life on our planet is actually quite scarce. This realization emphasizes the need to use this resource wisely.

Educating ourselves and future generations is a crucial first step in achieving this goal. So the lesson tells us that rivers are not just sources of water, but rather the backbone of human civilization. Rivers are vital because all life forms depend on them. Rivers provide us with freshwater, which is essential for agriculture, drinking water, transportation, electricity generation and recreational activities.

According to a study by UNICEF and WHO, approximately one in four people worldwide do not have access to safe drinking water. Similarly, the World Bank highlighted that health costs attributed to water pollution in India account for approximately 3 percent of the country’s GDP, and total nearly $6.7 to $8.7 billion annually.

The total cost of environmental degradation in India is estimated at around $80 billion. Moreover, an estimated 37.7 million people in India suffer from water-borne diseases every year, including gastrointestinal diseases, cholera, dysentery, hepatitis A and typhoid. In addition to the economic impact, inadequate provision of water, sanitation and hygiene contributes to the loss of millions of lives in India and globally every year.

In India, rivers are worshiped and since ancient times, the Ganga River has been revered as the most sacred and spiritual river. It occupies a special place culturally, spiritually and ecologically. Out of deep reverence it is often called Mother Ganga. The water of Ganga (Gangajal), according to Hindu beliefs, is intended not only for human use, irrigation and fishing, but also for purification of sins and devotion to God.

The Ganga, perhaps the most revered river in the world, is unfortunately also one of the most polluted today. The river is used to transport untreated waste, removed idols, human and animal remains, sewage, chemical waste and sewage and other waste.

The question is, if a Gagna is considered the most sacred in the world, how can it also be considered polluted? On the other hand, how can something considered most polluted be considered sacred? This situation is not unique to the Ganges, but also extends to other rivers such as the Sabarmati and Yamuna.

Some factors primarily contribute to the condition of rivers, including unethical behavior of individuals, negligence of local government authorities, central and state pollution control authorities, uncontrolled industrial activities, discharge of untreated sewage into rivers by municipalities and improper waste disposal in small cities and municipalities. towns.

For example, Thunag is a medium-sized town in the Thunag tehsil of Mandi district in Himachal Pradesh. It consists of a tehsil office, a government primary school, a high school, two private high schools, the Board of Horticulture and Forestry, a Sub-Divisional Judge’s Office (SDM), a Judicial Tribunal, a Panchayat bhawan, a Panchayati Raj Training Institute, HDFC Bank, SBI Bank, Himachal Pradesh Cooperative Bank, RTO, shops, hotels and other commercial buildings.

About 800-1,000 residents live in rental housing. Unfortunately, there is no garbage disposal or dumping facility available in Thunag. You won’t even find a garbage bin or a marked place to throw away trash. As a result, all residents discharge their waste material or waste into a nearby stream called Ropdi. The flow comes from the pristine and picturesque Holyland Shikari Devi Glacier, which is just 25 kilometers from Thunag.

Image A illustrates the rubbish dump in the Ropdi stream, while Image B shows a clean-up operation organized by volunteers. Image C shows the true image of the Ropdi current.

Image A, B and C shows that we are giving back plastic waste and filth to this Ropdi stream, who selflessly sacrifices everything for humanity. Rivers give us water and water is life. If rivers are not protected today, we cannot secure tomorrow’s future.

The central and state governments have indeed made efforts to conserve rivers. The Indian government has launched several programs and policies aimed at conserving and rejuvenating rivers across the country. Some notable initiatives include: Namami Gange (National Mission for Clean Ganga), National River Conservation Plan, National Mission for Clean Chambal, National Mission for Clean Narmada and National River Linking Project.

Also, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), along with various State Pollution Control Boards (SPCB), is taking initiatives aimed at cleaning and conserving rivers in India. These initiatives typically include monitoring and regulation, enforcement of environmental laws, capacity building and awareness, implementation of river rejuvenation projects and research and development. But even after so many efforts by the central and state governments, this problem remains unresolved.

The main reason for these problems is within ourselves as the waste thrown into the rivers is thrown away by us. Therefore, it is imperative that we take the initiative to keep the rivers clean. Only then can we raise awareness among society and individuals and we must pledge that the river, which selflessly sacrifices everything for human civilization, deserves to be kept clean in return.

In this context, government organizations will have to play an active role in implementing measures such as banning plastic, ensuring proper waste management in cities and even small villages, treating wastewater, promoting awareness, organizing river cleaning campaigns and regular monitoring of water quality. and partnering with nonprofits. Otherwise, every household may have access to tap and water, but no one will be healthy. Because what you sow, you will reap.

The rivers not only provide water, but also life. In the Hindu religion, the final journey of human life culminates in the embrace of a river like the Ganga. Therefore, it is not only important to worship rivers, but also imperative to keep them clean. Only then can the final journey of life achieve salvation in pure water.

Vijay Rana and Kishore Kumar Thakur are assistant professors at Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India. The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Just.