RESCUE THE GANGES
1. What is Ganges?
The Ganges is a river in India that flows through the states of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. The word "ganga" means "river" in Sanskrit; it is called the Ganges River in Hindi and Nepali. In 2015, an estimated 1.5 billion people supported their lives with its waters and over 120 million people depended on it for drinking water alone as it flows along the Gangetic Plain towards South Asia's Bay of Bengal.
2. Why do we need to protect the Ganges?
The Ganges has been crucial to our social, cultural, economic and ecological development, and is increasingly threatened by pollution. If left unaddressed, this pollution will threaten all of us: local communities who rely on its clean waters for survival; farmers who depend on its fertile soil for agriculture, with an estimated $1.7 billion (Rs 10,000 crore) in losses every year; and the millions of people who live along its banks in India's poorest states. The central government in New Delhi has declared nearly 200 km of the river a 'National River'. This special status has given local communities a degree of authority to manage the river's natural resources and to conduct further research into the river's health.
3. What does Ganges provide for India?
The Ganges and its tributaries provide water for drinking and irrigation for about 40 percent of India's population and most of its agricultural output, including food crops, cotton and sugarcane. The economy of the Ganges basin is worth $288 billion (Rs 17 lakh crore) each year, according to the World Bank. The river supports agriculture on more than 60 percent of its basin area, which is largely held by small farmers cultivating land alongside the river. The river also provides transport and power for much of northern India.
4. How does the Ganges affect the lives of local people?
The Ganges and its tributaries are considered sacred in Hinduism and have played a key role in development, facilitating trade and transportation for thousands of years. It has given life to local communities that live alongside it, providing water for farming, fishing, bathing and drinking. Local communities rely on its natural resources to earn livelihoods from fishing as well as ferrying passengers and goods across the river. The region is home to 1.5 million people who rely on the river for drinking water and rely on agriculture.
5. What happened to the Ganges?
The Ganges is heavily polluted, as it crosses several of India's most densely populated regions, with recent studies showing some of the highest mercury levels in the world. The region's economy is also partly dependent on burning its waste to produce energy, which produces enormous levels of particulate matter and nitrates that damage local communities' lungs and make them more vulnerable to lung disease. Riverside slums are crumbling because they are increasingly choked by sewage, so homes are being flooded in winter when the water rises with heavy rains and 100 million people lack basic access to clean drinking water.
6. What is India doing to clean the Ganges?
India has only recently started to address the damage the river has suffered. Some of the problems are easy to fix, such as installing basic sewage pumps in cities and upgrading sewage treatment plants. But other challenges are more complicated, including changing rules that make it difficult for industries to put in place cleaner technologies. The government is trying to manage pollution through a few key programs, but progress is slow. The government has also devoted about $4 billion (Rs 25000 crore) for cleaning up the Ganges and other water bodies over five years; it's not clear how much of this will be for the Ganges itself or how effective these investments will be.
7. What can ordinary people do?
Over the last decade, a variety of campaigns have attempted to raise awareness about the pollution of the Ganges and other Indian waterways. These include Burn the River, launched in 2007; Ganga Complete, which encourages people to walk across India on the river; and Be Queer, launched in 2014 by two queer South Asian activists. The effort led to a number of high-profile attempts at public engagement around the river. Local grassroots groups are also asking young people to take action against polluting technologies by joining 'Save Ganga Yojna', in which students and workers have signed pledges not to use products that damage the air or water while working or studying near rivers.
8. How can we save the Ganges?
The Ganges needs long-term efforts to clean up its waters, to upgrade its sewage infrastructure, and to change the way we use the river. While work is under way on some of those fronts, India still needs a broader national campaign—similar to the Clean India Campaign—to bring together environmental groups and government agencies. A concerted push by religious and government leaders could also help ensure that waste doesn't end up in rivers during religious ceremonies, and that people think about improving their own sewage systems as well as cleaning up rivers.
9. What can international communities do?
The role of international communities is significant in saving the Ganges from pollution. The United Nations, which has a significant interest in protecting the Ganges, could play a role as an organization and lead by example. The U.N. could also encourage governments to recognize the river's importance and ensure that support for it is provided. International bodies should also work to help governments effectively conserve the river—including giving advice on improving sewage infrastructure, and helping developing countries enforce pollution laws.
10. What can we celebrate?
The efforts of those in India who are working to restore Ganges' natural beauty are laudable, but it appears unlikely that they will be able to completely reverse the damage that has already been caused. I can't help but wonder, however, if we have learned the lessons of our mistakes. Can we do better this time?
11. Will we ever see the Ganges again?
The river is crucial to local communities and to the livelihoods of millions of Indians. Despite the scale of the problems that have emerged over the last few decades, it may not be too late for international communities to help India manage its river so that it can once again function as a lifeline.
Ebuka Ugboma has written extensively on the River Ganges. Get your copies here
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR
Gary Austine Ebuka Ugboma Esq
FICMC, ACIArb UK, FMA, AGIS, PMP
LLB Hons, BA Hons, Dip Mus Ed,
Pdip Bus Admin, PDip Estate Mgt, MBA, MSC
Peace and conflict resolution.
Ebuka Ugboma has multiple
degrees from different Universities across different fields; Arts, Law, Social
Sciences and Humanities generally. He is a Chartered Arbitrator and Mediator,
trained in the style and pattern of Chartered Institute Of Arbitrators UK.
Ebuka Ugboma has successfully
published many books including Propensities And Habits For Success
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