Rivers in India have been revered for thousands of years as their elevation to the status of a mother shows (“The river as being”, March 27). People often take a ‘holy dip’ and pray for the well-being of the river and for themselves. Unfortunately, this is where their concern for the river ends. There is no compunction in polluting the river with impunity. Contrast this with the attitude of people in the advanced world, where most water bodies are cared for. It is doubtful whether the Uttarakhand High Court’s declaration would serve any useful purpose. It is the State and its people who are responsible for the well-being of a river. There has to be a seachange in the way we look at a river. Even the much-hyped and Centrally-sponsored ‘Clean Ganga’ project has not made much progress due to numerous hurdles.
D.B.N. Murthy,
Bengaluru
