Water for All
Civilisations grew around rivers, and rivers remain central to the survival of life on Earth. Despite their importance, freshwater ecosystems are the most threatened in the world. The global biodiversity crisis is most acute in freshwater ecosystems, with around a third of all species living in freshwater at risk. The threats to river biodiversity come from dams, loss of vegetation, dumping of waste, and climate change, which impact the survival of rivers. “The International Day of Action for Rivers” is observed on March 14 every year. It focuses on raising awareness and calls for action to protect them. “Land of Rivers” is what India is known as. Many freshwater dolphins (known as Ganges River dolphins), used to be in abundance, have become endangered. To move towards comprehensive river basin management, India has adopted a path of community engagement, scientific research, and policy implementation. We may love our rivers but do not protect them enough. River conservation programs remain incomplete. Urgent action is necessary lest we lose them.
Rivers: The Lifelines of Our Planet
Civilisations grew around rivers, and rivers remain central to the survival of life on Earth. Despite their importance, freshwater ecosystems are the most threatened in the world. River water systems cover 1% of the Earth but are home to 10% of all its species. Freshwater species have declined at a rate twice that of terrestrial or marine. And many of those species are imperilled. The global biodiversity crisis is most acute in freshwater ecosystems, with around a third of all species living in freshwater at risk. The threats to river biodiversity come from dams that alter rivers’ free flow. A loss of vegetation due to gazing by animals along the banks increases water temperature. As someone nicely puts it, land does not stay on land. Rivers remain the dumping ground for sewage and toxic chemicals, much after knowing the consequences of it. The impact of climate change is seen more in the rivers, with many of them drying up. The fear is that things are going to become worse. “The International Day of Action for Rivers” is observed on March 14 every year. It focuses on raising awareness and calls for action to protect them. It all started in the meeting at Curitiba, Brazil, in March 1997, when participants adopted the resolution to observe this day.
“Land of Rivers” is what India is known as. The national river of India is Ganga. There are seven significant river systems in India. Most rivers flow into the Bay of Bengal, and a few into the Arabian Sea. The Ganga basin is the largest one in India. The Brahmaputra has the largest water volume of all India’s rivers. The second largest course within India is of the Godavari River System, followed by Krishna. The Narmada and the Tapti are the rivers that flow into the Arabian Sea. Rivers like Musi in Hyderabad run in the interiors of India. The Ganges is a spiritual and economic lifeline for the people of India. The river and its tributaries touch the lives of millions of people. Many freshwater dolphins (known as Ganges River dolphins), used to be in abundance, have become endangered. Large volumes (billions of litres) of wastewater are being dumped into the rivers. WHO data indicates that the bacteria count is 3000 times higher than the limit declared safe for bathing.
As part of the action for the rivers, India has set up the Jal Shakti Mission, a special group focused on fixing wetlands and dealing with river pollution. The aim is to balance the growth and care of the environment. Namami Gange Programme is a ‘Flagship Programme’ by the government that advocates for the conservation and rejuvenation of Ganga. To move towards comprehensive river basin management, India has adopted a path of community engagement, scientific research, and policy implementation.
India is a unique country where people treat rivers with great respect. Rivers, respected, worshipped, and cared for, are integral to every Indian life. We may love our rivers, but we do not protect them enough. River conservation programs remain incomplete. Urgent action is necessary lest we lose them. Duty of the present generation to make the rivers sustainable.
Water is life and is meant for all.
Toons: Reema
Logs: M Sai Baba
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