The rivers in India, which have historically been lifelines
of its civilization, are in a dire state due to pollution, overextraction, and
ecological mismanagement. India's rivers are on the brink of ecological
collapse. Addressing these issues requires stricter enforcement of
environmental laws, community involvement, sustainable water management
practices, and greater political commitment. Without immediate action, the
degradation of rivers will have severe implications for health, livelihoods,
and biodiversity. A detailed investigation of the unprecedented challenges
faced by rivers across India is presented below:
1. Severe Pollution: Factories discharge untreated waste
directly into rivers. For instance, the Yamuna and Ganga are heavily
contaminated with chemicals and toxins.
Cities and towns along riverbanks dump untreated sewage into rivers.
According to studies, around 70% of India's surface water is polluted. Rivers
are choking on plastic and garbage, further degrading water quality and harming
aquatic life.
2. Declining Water Flow: Excessive water withdrawal for
agriculture, industry, and drinking water has reduced the flow of many rivers.
Rivers like the Cauvery and Godavari often run dry in stretches. The Himalayan
rivers such as the Ganga and Brahmaputra are impacted by the retreat of
glaciers due to climate change, threatening their perennial flow.
3. Encroachments and Sand Mining: This depletes riverbeds,
causing erosion, disrupting ecosystems, and lowering groundwater recharge.
Construction on riverbanks, narrows rivers, restricts flow, and increases the
risk of flooding.
4. Loss of Biodiversity: Polluted and disrupted ecosystems
have led to the decline of native aquatic species. Iconic creatures like the
Ganges river dolphin are now endangered. Dams and barrages have fragmented
river ecosystems, blocking fish migration and altering sediment flow.
5. Religious Practices: Rituals such as idol immersion,
cremation, and offerings contribute to pollution, despite efforts to promote
eco-friendly alternatives.
6. Climate Change:
Altered rainfall patterns lead to more intense floods and prolonged
droughts, exacerbating the stress on rivers.
Rising temperatures increase evaporation, reducing water
levels.
7. Ineffective Policies and Implementation:
Despite programs like Namami Gange aimed at rejuvenating
rivers, the results have been limited due to corruption, lack of coordination,
and inadequate enforcement of laws.
8. Urbanization and Industrialization: Rapid urban sprawl has overwhelmed river
systems, particularly in metropolitan areas like Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata,
Bengaluru and Mumbai, leading to the loss of natural floodplains and increased
contamination.
Plight of Cauvery
Let us take the case of the river Cauvery for an example.
Saving Cauvery is urgent; otherwise a civilisation will be lost for all time to
come; and to save Cauvery means to save the Kodagu forest. This has been found
that between March and May this year, Kodagu was facing a drought like
situation and water had become a scarce commodity, more precious than
gold. The underlying reason is that the
catchment of the Cauvery has been unable to hold water. There are multiple
reasons for this but chiefly it includes a complete degradation of the
Cauvery’s catchment, Kodagu’s newly-established plantation economy, change in
land-use patterns along the river, tourism, climate change and illegal sand
mining. Paddy farming has become unviable in the region as the cost of
production for the crop has risen. Consequently, the numerous rice paddies
which have dotted the region since centuries, are now diminishing. For
instance, in 2010-11, 35,000 hectares (ha) of land in the catchment of the
Cauvery and its tributaries like Hemavati and Lakshmanteerth were under paddy
cultivation.
By 2018, this had reduced to 27,000 ha. These paddy fields
had acted as natural feeders to the Cauvery. With paddy farming decreasing, the
vacant land has either been diverted for non-agricultural use or for a
plantation economy. The area under plantations of crops such as coffee, palm
oil and areca nut has increased in the state. However, the problem with these
industry-driven plantations is that unlike traditional trees, they don’t have
deep root and hence, cannot hold soil or water. A whole lot of traditional
trees like Nandi, Rosewood, Jackfruit and all varieties of bamboos have been
removed for cultivation of coffee. Another problem is the development of
infrastructure and urbanisation in the catchment. This report states that
Kodagu lost around 3,000 ha of tree cover in the last 17 years. The impacts of
decreasing tree cover are now visible as the Cauvery dried up in March-May.
Save Our Rivers
Saving Indian rivers from degradation requires a
multi-pronged approach involving policy reforms, community participation, and
scientific interventions. Here are key strategies:
1. Reduce Pollution:
Implementing of stringent regulations on industrial effluents, untreated
sewage, and agricultural runoff entering rivers. Increasing the number of
sewage treatment plants (STPs) and ensure they operate at full capacity will be
very important. Reducing plastic pollution by banning single-use plastics and
promoting alternatives is the need of the hour. Using organic farming
techniques and controlled application of fertilizers and pesticides for reducing
chemical runoff to the riverine and freshwater water ecosystems are urgently
needed.
2. Afforestation and Riverbank Protection
Planting trees along riverbanks and creating green buffers
to prevent soil erosion and regulate water flow are necessary for survival of
our rivers. Maintaining thick natural vegetation belts along riverbanks for
ecological balance is also important.
3. Restoration of the Natural Flow: Ensuring Minimum
Environmental Flow (E-Flow) and
regulating dam operations to allow adequate water flow downstream for
ecological sustenance. Removing illegal encroachments and clearing illegal
constructions blocking natural river channels and floodplains can speed up the
river flow.
4. Rejuvenation Projects: Adopting to Integrated River Basin
Management (IRBM) is a sustainable strategy for successful river conservation
initiatives. Holistic planning at the watershed level to address issues of
water management, pollution, and biodiversity are absolute necessity. Promoting
and supporting local community-driven river rejuvenation programs, like those
seen in the success of projects like the Narmada and Ganga cleanups are very
good examples in sustainable river conservation.
5. Awareness and Community Involvement: There is an urgent
need to rise awareness about the importance of rivers and the consequences of
their degradation; and encourage citizen-based monitoring and surveillance.
Fostering community involvement in reporting pollution and illegal activities
can help river conservation initiatives significantly.
6. Improved Urban Planning: Enforcing zoning laws to keep
construction away from floodplains and riverbanks; and designing urban drainage
to prevent untreated stormwater runoff from entering rivers could serve as
effective strategies.
7. Adopt Technology:
Extensively using satellite technology to monitor river health and
detect illegal activities like sand mining; and installing sensors to
continuously track pollution levels and act promptly.
8. Financial Incentives: Providing incentives to industries
and farmers adopting eco-friendly practices; and strictly promoting
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to encourage private
companies to fund river conservation projects.
9. Cultural and Religious Practices: Promoting alternatives
for rituals that traditionally involve polluting the rivers; and engaging
religious leaders by partnering with spiritual communities to spread awareness
about protection and conservation of rivers.
10. Policy and Governance: Updating and enforcing policies
like the National Water Policy with a focus on river rejuvenation; and
addressing disputes to jointly manage rivers shared between states is important
strategy for protecting our riverine resources. Creating dedicated bodies for
specific river basins for continuous oversight is urgently needed. It is also
encouraging to mirror success stories like the Namami Gange Programme that aims
to rejuvenate the Ganga River through pollution abatement, afforestation, and
biodiversity conservation. The Rally for Rivers Campaign focusing on public
awareness and long-term policy changes to protect India’s rivers needs to be
actively supported across the nation. Developing sustainable comprehensive
action involving governments, communities, and individuals is crucial for
long-lasting impact are also needed.
Urgent Need for Water Conservation
Under these circumstances there in urgent need for water
conservation. It is crucial for our
survival because water is a finite and irreplaceable resource that sustains all
life on Earth. Humans depend on freshwater for drinking, agriculture,
sanitation, and industrial processes, but only about 1% of Earth's water is
readily accessible for human use. As populations grow and economies develop,
the demand for water increases, putting immense pressure on available freshwater
supplies. Many regions of the world, especially in arid and semi-arid areas,
already face severe water shortages. Climate change, overuse, and pollution are
depleting freshwater resources, making water conservation essential to ensure
long-term availability. Water is essential for growing crops. Agriculture
accounts for about 70% of global freshwater usage, and conserving water ensures
that we can continue to produce enough food for a growing population. Freshwater ecosystems, including rivers, lakes,
and wetlands, rely on consistent water availability to support biodiversity.
Overuse and pollution of water resources threaten these ecosystems, which are
crucial for maintaining ecological balance. Water is required for generating
electricity, particularly in hydroelectric power plants and cooling systems for
thermal power plants. Efficient water use helps ensure the sustainability of
energy production. Access to clean water is vital for health, hygiene, and
sanitation. Without water conservation, millions of people face the risk of
waterborne diseases and poor living conditions.
The world population has grown rapidly, increasing the
demand for water for drinking, agriculture, industry, and sanitation. Expanding
industries require significant amounts of water for production and cooling
processes, contributing to higher consumption and pollution of freshwater
sources. The growth of cities has led to increased demand for water, often
leading to the over-extraction of nearby water sources and contamination from
urban runoff. Industrial waste, agricultural runoff, and inadequate sewage treatment
have polluted many freshwater sources, reducing the availability of clean
water. Rising global temperatures are altering precipitation patterns, causing
more frequent droughts in some areas and severe flooding in others, both of
which affect water availability. In many parts of the world, water is wasted
due to inefficient agricultural practices, leaky infrastructure, and poor water
management, exacerbating the scarcity problem. To secure the future, adopting
water conservation measures such as reducing waste, recycling water, improving
irrigation techniques, and protecting water sources is essential.
