Most ancient civilisations that defined mankind have cropped up along the banks of major rivers. Harappan (River Indus), Mesopotamian (Rivers Tigris and Euphrates), Ancient Egyptian (River Nile) and Ancient Chinese (River Yellow) all flourished thanks to the steady supply of potable water and the fertile river banks that facilitated agriculture. With food and water taken care of, man then progressed to finer pursuits like arts, politics and literature.
In medieval India, ancient centres of learning and seats of various empires were cities and towns that mushroomed around rivers. Agra and Delhi on the banks of Yamuna in the north, Kashi and Pataliputra along the Ganga in the east, Thanjavur and Kumbakonam on the banks of Kaveri are just a few examples in the very long list of cities by the rivers that have defined India’s history. The Rig Veda reveres these rivers in the Nadistuti Sukta.
The same rivers that once breathed life into civilisations across the world, are now gasping for life breath. According to the UN, around two million tons of sewage and effluents are discharged into the world’s water every day, making the riverine ecosystems the most degraded on the planet. Rivers also have a high ecological and economic impact. Not just human life, but they also sustain wildlife — flora and fauna — that form an integral part of the ecosystem and source of livelihood for humans. According to WWF’s Living Planet Report (LPR) 2022, freshwater aquatic life has decreased by 83% globally in the last 50 years, thanks to infrastructure projects like the construction of dams on rivers and other ventures for power generation. Only 37 per cent of the world’s rivers flow uninterrupted for 1,000 km, the report adds. According to the non-profit International Rivers, only one-third of the world’s rivers remain free-flowing and less than 10% of the world’s river basins are protected.
From sand mining to dams to water pollution, the story of Indian rivers is nothing short of a Greek tragedy. Sand mining in the Narmada in Madhya Pradesh has caused the river’s flow to reduce and the mahseer fish is on the verge of extinction. The Gangetic Dolphin — India’s national aquatic animal — is currently listed as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List.
Coming to the case of Yamuna and Delhi, the river flows through the national capital for just 22 kilometres — spanning from Wazirabad barrage to Okhla — in its 1,376-kilometre course. However, the effluents emptied into the river in this stretch alone account for close to 80 per cent of its pollution.
Namami Gange was launched by PM Modi-led government with an ecological agenda of cleaning the Ganga for an economic impact, as the river hosts and affects 40% of India’s population.
Rivernet — the official website of the global non-profit organisation — says that the first International Day of Action for Rivers was observed in 1997. Representatives from more than 20 countries adopted the ‘International Day of Action against Dams and For Rivers, Water and Life’ at the inaugural of the ‘International Conference of Dam-Affected Peoples’ in Curitiba, Brazil. The collective marked March 14 as the day which coincides with Brazil’s ‘Day of Action against Large Dams’. The ‘International Day of Action against Dams and For Rivers, Water and Life’ later was renamed ‘International Day of Action for Rivers’
That we have and need a day to highlight the importance of rivers and call for action to conserve the rivers is a matter of shame. This year’s (2024) theme is ‘Water for All’, highlighting the uneven access to clean water. Like all resources, access to clean water is a challenge for low-income countries and marginalised communities. Such is the disparity in access that the UN has a dedicated Sustainable Development Goal — SDG 6: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all.
Warring over water isn’t new to humankind. Water was the primary bone of contention that led to battles in Mesopotamia in 2500 BC, Assyria in 720 BC, China in 101 BC and 48 BC in Egypt. Fast forward to the 21st century, the UN predicts conflict over water in almost 300 areas, based on the current water availability and future projections. Water conservationist and Magsaysay awardee Rajendra Singh, popularly known as ‘India’s Waterman’, has predicted that water could be the main cause of World War III.
Depinder Singh Kapur, Programme Director, Water, Centre for Science and Environment, suggests that the issue needs a two-pronged approach. “Firstly, the civil society needs to draw attention to the crisis and move the political and administrative establishment to prioritise water conservation and its rational use. It needs to offer appropriate, nature-based solutions. It needs to provide feedback and support actions implemented by the government.”
On the government end, Kapur says intervention is needed to ensure a larger and long-term vision of water security and ensure water equity.
Bharat R. Sharma, Scientist Emeritus (Water Resources), International Water Management Institute (IWMI) suggests a targeted approach. “Every year only 35 per cent of the wastewater is treated whereas 65 per cent of the wastewater goes back to the river, further deteriorating its health. For a truly Viksit Bharat, the government can undertake a pledge to gradually increase the volume and percentage of wastewater being treated,” he says.
The civil society, he opines, should change its approach in taking every drop of the river for granted. “10 to 15 per cent of the river must flow into the sea unabated. But humans think every drop is meant for their use.” The share of the river — “the silent stakeholder” — that flows uninterrupted to the sea, is called the environmental flow.
There is no doubt in any mind that the civil society and governments across the world have to work in tandem and global communities will have to say in one voice that RIVERS MATTER.
International Day of Action For Rivers: Water, water in every river but not available for all
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13.03.2024
Most ancient civilisations that defined mankind have cropped up along the banks of major rivers. Harappan (River Indus), Mesopotamian (Rivers Tigris and Euphrates), Ancient Egyptian (River Nile) and Ancient Chinese (River Yellow) all flourished thanks to the steady supply of potable water and the fertile river banks that facilitated agriculture. With food and water taken care of, man then progressed to finer pursuits like arts, politics and literature.
In medieval India, ancient centres of learning and seats of various empires were cities and towns that mushroomed around rivers. Agra and Delhi on the banks of Yamuna in the north, Kashi and Pataliputra along the Ganga in the east, Thanjavur and Kumbakonam on the banks of Kaveri are just a few examples in the very long list of cities by the rivers that have defined India’s history. The Rig Veda reveres these rivers in the Nadistuti Sukta.
The same rivers that once breathed life into civilisations across the world, are now gasping for life breath. According to the UN, around two million tons of sewage and effluents are discharged into the world’s water every day, making the riverine ecosystems the most degraded on the planet. Rivers also have a high ecological and economic impact. Not just human life, but they also sustain wildlife — flora and fauna — that form an integral part of the ecosystem and source of livelihood for humans. According to WWF’s Living Planet Report (LPR) 2022, freshwater aquatic life has decreased by 83%........
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