PETER FERNANDES
A slogan that should echo across generations is this: “Protect water, pro tect life.” Few would dispute that wa ter is the most vital natural resource on Earth, indispensa ble for the survival of humans, animals, and plants alike. In Indian tradition, water is held in the highest esteem as both a purifier of the soul and a sa cred, life-giving element. From birth rituals to daily prayers, it signifies blessing, renewal, and purity. It is for this reason, and with deep reverence, that the river Ganga is affectionately called “Ganga meri maa.” India is richly endowed with enormous rivers that traverse the land from north to south and east to west, sustaining life while also serving as enduring cultural and spiritual foun dations. History records that great civilisations flourished along river valleys, where abundant water supported drinking, agriculture, and transportation.
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These favour able conditions gave rise to major societies such as the In dus Valley, Ancient Egypt, Mes opotamia, and early Chinese civilisation. The Indus Valley Civilisation developed along the Indus and Ghaggar–Hakra rivers, distinguished by its advanced urban planning and sanitation systems in cities like Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. Similarly, Mesopotamian civilisation thrived between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in present-day Iraq. Ancient Egypt prospered along the Nile River, while Chinese civilisa tion grew along the Yellow Riv er. The Earth’s surface, which covers more than 70 percent, is often referred to as the “blue planet”. Nevertheless, fresh water remains a scarce and precious resource. Each year, millions of people worldwide suffer and die due to the lack of clean drinking water, while thousands of children under five lose their lives every day because of inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene. Is it a creator’s fault or a manmade disaster? In light of the pres ent condition of the river Gan ga, one must ask: can we truly continue to revere it as “Ganga meri maa”? When India esteems water so highly, how come over sev enty percent of surface water resources are contaminated by untreated sewage, industrial effluents, and agricultural run off? Water pollution in India is a critical crisis, and the nation should know for real that over 350 river stretches are pollut ed, endangering public health and aquatic ecosystems.
What good is it when poli ticians make mighty promises but cannot protect the natu ral, life-giving, and sustaining resources such as water and air? What could be the rea son for such a critical crisis to reach an exasperating lev el of pollution? With few ex ceptions, many would agree that corruption has become deeply embedded in Indian society and that most people either participate in it or feel compelled to do so. Factories dump toxic waste, including heavy metals (lead, mercury, arsenic) and chemicals, di rectly into rivers like the Gan ga, Yamuna, and Sabarmati. A major contributor, with over 38,000 million litres of waste water entering rivers daily due to insufficient treatment plants. “India against Corrup tion” was a powerful and wide ly supported movement that captured public frustration with systemic graft; however, it was arguably misdirected in its focus, emphasising sym bolic victories and individu al accountability rather than pursuing deeper structural reforms needed to address the root causes of corruption. And the outcome is the on going slaughter of natural re sources at the behest of the corrupt politicians who allow rapid urbanisation without a proper vision, lack waste treatment infrastructure, and weakly enforce environmental regulations.
The nation is at a crossroads, and it needs to stop and exam ine seriously the present sce nario and the precarious tra jectory it is headed towards, because water is a limited resource, and conservation is crucial to sustain human life and the environment. “Varanasi Mujhe Ganga Maa Ne Bulaya,” a slogan from its favourite son that captivated the imagination of the whole nation with a promise and a hope of a better tomorrow. From time immemorial it has been the holy river of Hin duism. For most of its course it is a wide and sluggish stream, flowing through one of the most fertile and densely pop ulated regions in the world. In ancient times the Ganges were important transportation routes, but in recent times, a greater concern has been the degradation in quality of the river water itself, which is highly polluted.
The main contributors to this menace are industri al waste, untreated sewage, agricultural runoff, the rem nants of partially burned or unburned bodies from funeral pyres, and animal carcasses. High levels of disease-causing bacteria, as well as such toxic substances as chromium, cad mium, and arsenic, have been found in the Ganges. Over a decade now, the favourite son of Ganga had announced, “Varanasi Mujhe Ganga Maa Ne Bulaya,” but Ganga Maa is crying for redemption. Sadly, the favourite son of Ganga is mostly found on the election campaign trail or on foreign trips. Will Ganga ever retain its purity to its full length, which it has at its birth—the seat of Gods, from the Himalayan glacier? Will someone remind the favourite son of Ganga and the rest of the nation that the sacred water bodies often served as places where people from all backgrounds could bathe together, representing a “great equaliser?” Keeping the Ganges clean would be a pow erful statement for the rest of the nation that a life-giving source ought to be respected with the highest esteem; if not, the death of the Ganges would pronounce death on an ancient civilisation. The pollution of the Ganges reflects the prevailing corrup tion and the corrupt nation. The slogan “Protect water, pro tect life” should find its echo with the slogan “Varanasi mu jhe Ganga maa ne bulaya.” Interestingly, the Chief Minister of Delhi, Rekha Gup ta, had decided to make the Yamuna River as pure as Maa Ganga but found an excuse for her promise, saying, “Air pollution and Yamuna River pollution are legacy problems.”
In the early 1970s, Goa faced a similar problem with Zuari Agro Chemicals, which used to dump untreated chemi cal water in the Arabian Sea, resulting in killing fish and destroying the marine life. A true warrior, the late Matan hy Saldanha, in collaboration with the traditional fishermen (Goenche Ramponkars), pro tested against mighty Zuari Industries and won the bat tle. The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 is a landmark Indian legislation enacted to prevent, control, and abate water pol lution and maintain or restore the “wholesomeness” of water. It would be the first such agi tation and victory post-inde pendence India. Nation should know why the famous son of Ganga and the famous daugh ter of Yamuna are unable to fulfil their promise. Know for sure, if someone is determined and has enough willpower, they will find a way to achieve their goal, regardless of obsta cles or difficulties, for where there is a will, there’s a way. It is pitiable to see the plight of our towns and cities, littered with garbage and foul smells.
Many Indian cities rely on open drainage systems, often leading to untreated sewage and waste flowing directly into rivers, making pollution a sys temic, critical issue. Although, India proudly holds to the leg acy of ancient civilisations. The question arises, how did the great legacy of Mohenjo-daro and Harappa, which featured one of the world’s most ad vanced ancient urban sanita tion systems, get lost in time? It is said that cleanliness is next to godliness. Ganga, meri maa, is crying for redemption. Will the sons and daughters of this great nation rise up to this noble task, or will the death of the River Ganga bring the curtain down on this ancient civilisation? (The author is a Priest)
