Playing with Water: For Life and For Business

Concept of Nirmal Dhara states that ‘the qualities of Ganga are: Coolness, sweetness, transparency, high tonic property, wholesomeness, ability to remove evils, digestive properties and ability to retain wisdom’. It also prohibits thirteen types of action which includes defecation, throwing floral offerings, flowing bodies, rubbing of filth and etcetera. It emphasises on the need for cleanliness in our water bodies. Ironically every single action that is prohibited is being done with utter ignorance in today’s age. Human in his arrogance has developed a love to overpower nature and put its pretentious superiority in public spectacle.

Aarti Kawlra – The Chair

Professor Vinod Tare, Indian Institute of Kanpur, presented a lecture on the present condition of the rivers and other water bodies in the country. He says, “Rivers that are left in their natural condition and form are a rarity. It is a prevailing condition across the country.”

Dams- A hazard in some cases

The reason for the misuse of the water is, “Because it has a very unique character. That character being, it is able to take along many substances with it, whether it is organic or inorganic. This character enables that tendency to misuse it.” Due to the building of dams, many rivers have lost their originality. “We have essentially lost our river Ganga. Ganga which used to flow from Gangotri to Gangasagar. There is essentially no connectivity from upstream to downstream.” The buildings of dams have made the function of the rivers almost redundant. The organisms living in the water have their functions which include going places but dams block their passage.

Professor Vinod Tare

A lot of water bodies are not properly managed as well. It is a common site to see filth is being thrown by the locals in the water bodies. A layer of green filth due to the formation of fungi occurs on top of the water surface. That layer ensures that the water in the body is not healthy to use. There is no drainage system available to clean the water. Mr. Tare says, “If we don’t come up with some kind solution. The water bodies will cease to exist and it will become a huge problem.”

The alternate bathroom

If we can point out to a single activity which is responsible for the current situation it is the human faecal activity. People seem to be in oblivion of this problem because it doesn’t affect them directly. According to government’s statistics India doesn’t treat even 5% of its waste before letting it out in the rivers. Our Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has expressed his vision to make India open defecation free. Toilets constitute the principle role in his vision. But what is important is the type of toilets that needs to be implemented for its successful execution.

India needs to start taking decisions on this issue proactively. The smart cities that everyone talks about should not only be smart in terms of huge sky scrapers and good roads but also a good sewage system. A sewage system, which puts treatment of its waste at the highest level. Reuse and recycling of waters should be taken as an alternative.

All the stakeholders need to pitch in with their part. From central government to state government, from academicians and researchers to social activists, from media to consultants and vendors, everyone needs to take this very seriously. Time has come to play with water with caution. We no longer live in a privilege reference.