Sridhar D’Iyer
One of the most distinguishing features as compared to the other planets of Mother Earth, is the presence of water. About 71% of the Earth's surface is covered with water, the salty seas and oceans containing 97%. Freshwater constitutes 3% and is in the form of wells, streams, rivers, lakes, ponds and locked in ice and glaciers in the polar regions and in icy terrains like the Himalayas. It is given that water is essential for the existence of flora, fauna and humans. Water is also needed for industries, in factories, during mining operations, construction of infrastructure etc.
As elsewhere in the world, India is fortunate to have numerous water bodies but we fail to respect them. Though we pray to the rivers and conduct rituals, but overall, we tend to use the water bodies as ‘garbage collectors.’ We pollute them in various ways such as by throwing garbage, discharging untreated sewage and industrial wastes, reside along the banks and vicinity of water bodies and dispose waste in them, fill the water bodies to erect buildings, bridges and so forth.
The effects of the above actions are noticed when flooding occurs during monsoon because the channels for the water flow are chocked with waste or have been concretised. Later we blame nature and climate change for human-induced water disasters.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) assessed 603 Indian rivers and found 311 stretches along 279 rivers to have low Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and high content of faecal coliform. Data indicate that 25% of the municipal solid waste is not processed.
India has taken several remedial measures to keep the water bodies clean and spent crores of rupees yet, large amounts of untreated agricultural, industrial and domestic run-offs still continue to pollute the water bodies.
The government can do only so much by cleaning a few kilometres length of the Ganga, Yamuna or other rivers. Temple authorities cannot repeatedly spend money to clean the ponds nor the coastal States can keep the beaches spotless umpteen times. There are stringent rules and regulations against polluting water bodies but it is anybody’s guess about their strict compliance and implementations, in letter and spirit.
It is for the people to maintain the water bodies as uncontaminated as possible by not littering them. We must take the responsibility to keep the water bodies unpolluted by refraining from discharging waste and untreated waters of any kind, throwing garbage, by not bathing, and washing clothes, animals and vehicles and in several other ways.
Cleanliness is not only next to godliness but would also help to maintain hygiene and/or to stop and minimise the spread of water-borne diseases. Let us not take for granted the 3% of freshwater on the earth for in no time it could reduce due to increase in pollution, population, deforestation, environmental destruction and associated changes in the weather pattern and rainfall.
Let us make a small beginning by keeping the water bodies in our vicinity clean. This could be at an individual level or as a group of concerned citizens.
If treated with reverence water is the elixir of life else it could turn bitter and toxic and may lead to ‘water wars.’