Salvaging the Ganges

Rajiv Gandhi really wanted it cleaned up and set up burning ghats but throwing dead cows and pyres and everything to wash away the sins. Belief in centuries-old and not so pragmatic approaches make visiting Varnasi a repulsive experience.
Just a visit to the Thalai Kaveri is an eye-opener.
How to bathe in such dirty water? I refused to take bath 5 years ago and wont do it.

Slideshows like these are more effective to portray some of the very important issues, which otherwise go unnoticed by the General Public.

Apart of keeping the river from pollutants, serious thought has to go into dredging the river in parts or in full to keep the water flow. The river could make a come back as a useful transport line between major cities.
Thanks you

Do we have to wait until 2020 for the Ganges to get cleaned? What is the reason to wait for more than 10 years to enforce the right thing? Strict rules need to be launched immediately with regards to waste treatment before letting them out into water bodies. But that is not enough. There should also be strict restrictions on throwing dead bodies into water bodies.
It is a pity that even after sending rockets to decode the moon, we still resort to age-old methods when it comes to cleanliness and hygiene. The Government should immediately introduce new machines for cleaning public places instead of equipping the services staff with just broom sticks.

Hi, I am a professor at a University. I would like to suggest that there can be some articles under energy and environment rather than just having photos. kindly consider this as the articles on environment can create awareness among young minds.

Good photos,

I read that Govt of India is conducting road shows in foreign countries to promote our country as a tourism destination. But I wonder how these kind of promotional activities can take place before some preservation measures of our natural resources are implemented. NGOs or any voluntary organisations operating in our country can do something very rapidly and effectively to clean Ganges with constitutional support from Govt.
We have to apply modern technology and dont have to wait until 2010, thats too long.

I understand that for generations, the Hindus have believed the Ganges to be a sacred river. It’s high time for them to realize, that by physically polluting the river, they are only diluting its sacred status. The Government and NGO should try to solve this issue through two main ways - One through a strict enforcement of legal system. Secondly a mass campaign should be carried out among the public, both by Government & NGO's against the pollution of the river. The government should take strong, immediate and bold step towards this issue and I personally feel that 10 years is very long period to accomplish this task.

A short note related to the topic - Scientists have already spotted dramatic melting of the Himalayan glaciers which form the sources of these great rivers. It has been predicted that if global warming continues at this rate then we might see the extinction of river Ganges around 2040's. That would affect the lives of at least a billion people, not to mention the social impact of the death of the 'sacred river'.

When there is community pool, we have one or two pool guards who look after the pool. He knows swimming and has the right gadget to remove any dirt. At the beaches, we have life/beach guards who sit on a pedestal and whistles at erring beach goers. Similarly, we need placards that warn people from polluting, appoint guards in large number, who monitor the banks at all times. The access to the river must be fenced several feet away and entrance to river be controlled and ticketed. Law should be promulgated to severely punish for those who throw human remains in the sacred river. The State should take charge of it right away. There is lack of obedience from States, when it is not the same party that rules at the Centre. There doesn't seem to be a United States of India. There is division all over. There is no one rule, one language; all we have is one passport in common.

What a shame! People keep their own houses spick and span and yet pollute a river which for eons has been regarded a pivotol religious icon and is also a national heritage. Something drastic has to be done soon before more damage is done.

Can't we get anything done in our country anymore? It is going to take us up to 2020 to stop destroying the Ganges. When are we planning to restore it by 2100? India has got to be sustainable if there has to be a future, let alone good future. With all the degrading natural resources, insufficient infrastructure and the polluting environment, we are not a growing force in the world, we are a nation are trying to churn out the most we can before meeting our inevitable end of resources.

I am presently residing in Hardwar and I know the real problem. For years politicians/administrators are talking and wasting money in the name of cleaning the Ganga. Today you clean and after some time you find the same filth and garbage. The actual solution is :
1. Strict ENFORCEMENT by levying fine at the Ganges banks so that pilgrims do not pollute the holy river by washing clothes,taking oil bath, throwing plastic garbage ,dead bodies etc! (including industries which let effluents without treatment)
2. Awareness and road shows near Ganges Banks.
3. Clearing beggars near the river.

All these require a strong government!!!

Be a vegetarian to protect the environment

It is a pity that rivers and lakes are being polluted, encroached upon and sand-mined by both the honest and the greedy. These acts should be made a criminal offence. It is a sad plight to see we are destroying what all was given by God and our ancestors. Educating children at school and the public in cities and villages through TV is the only hope. All TV channels should compulsorily broadcast campaigns for protection of rivers and lakes from sewage, garbage, effleuents, sand mining and encroachment for 30 minutes a day. Newspapers should devote 10 per cent of space to promote water bodies.

I would like to suggest every one to take a oath not to pollute the environment to the maximum extent possible, in any ways. Let's start to make a difference by being climate champions in our own selves....... and I am sure it makes a huge lot of difference, on the whole.

The sacred river has been polluted even before modern civilisation started. Why do Hindus dump the half-burnt dead bodies into the river? Such things have being going on for centuries. I have witnessed a body floating in the year 1957. It is time for the Hindus to realise the truth and apply some green sense and stop polluting the sacred river.

These photographs symbolically tell us how religion pollutes society with its rituals.

I was used to dirt and trash during my life in Chennai and Bombay. I moved to USA 40 years ago. I was amazed at the clean roads and neighborhoods here. Cleanliness is taught to children right from birth through schools and work environment. Still river streams are dirty in USA because all industries allowed to discharge pollutants upto a federal limit. Nobody drinks water from a river or bathes in a river or lake. Washing of hands/feet/body is done only by clean filtered water provided by city governments where water quality is checked every month. Swimming pool water is checked weekly for bacteria and contaminants.
India has to go a very long way indeed.
-Venkat

It seems the successive governments in India pay only lip service to the cause of the environmental protection.Be it protecting rivers ,lakes, beach or air there is a noticeable lack of will from the part of authorities to implement the laws. I believe it is the the Indian passive mentality of "challega". I honestly believe unless until we overcome this we as a nation have no future however much skulduggery one may do. The world takes a dim view of India mainly because our civic amenities are very bad and rules and regulations are observed more in breach. I was born and brought up in India and had the good fortune to see US. The contrast is glaring. Relatively clean environment even tough it is one of the most industrialized nation in the world with per capita use of motor vehicles one of the highest. As Mr Venkat mentioned above its rivers, lakes, air , water etc are far more cleaner than India's. We as Indians often feel ashamed when we compare the standards in India & US . It is not a question of economics.Primarily we have no regard or respect for our fellow human beings. Just one example - how cruel it is to dump metal & other construction materials on a road months ahead of repair!!! It seems nobody is bothered about how difficult it will be for pedestrians other small vehicle users to negotiate these roads! It is not a case of lack of funds ,but scant regards & respects for others feelings. Until we as a nation change this attitude I see no future for India despite Chandrayans etc.

Not 2020. NOW it should be cleaned ~NOW~

India is such a wonderful country and the River Ganges so important to it both from a religious and practical point of view that I believe more efforts should be made to clean it. It is one of the great rivers of the world, a holy river, a river of life for so many in India that its rehabilitation should be of the greatest concern to India and its people. We are but stewards of this world and it behoves us to pass on to the next generation a world that is free of pollution and degradation

I'm glad that the government is taking such an initiative. But 10 years is too long a time.

Why should it take so long to clean the river? Though I'm a Bangaladeshi, but I feel much about the holy river.

it is a biggest natioanl concern. I am not getting one thing why India Govt. is Procrastinating in cleaning up Ganage from Pollution..India govt should step out and take a bold decision to revive Ganga as a Holly River.

The industrial waste and sewers as described in the article can be stopped by law makers at all levels of government when it is done then we can be looking at religious observances. We cannot have too many protests at the same time in an important clean up venture like this one.

It's the responsibility of every person in India not to pollute water and air.