22nd Mar 2017 09:03:PM Editorials
Eastern Sentinel Arunachal News

Close at the heels of New Zealand’s Whanganui River granted living entity status making it the only one in the world. The Uttarakhand high court on Monday declared the Ganga and Yamuna living entities, bestowing on them same legal rights as a person. The court’s order will allow complaints to be filed in the name of the two rivers, held sacred by millions of Hindus and is also being seen as a move that could help in efforts to clean the pollution-choked rivers.

 Over the years the abuse of rivers have increased astronomically with pollutants becoming more toxic and complex. The rivers in big cities are a mere shadow of their majestic past and speak a tale of sorrow and abject human insensitivity. But this problem has now infiltrated the border and reached tribal societies as well; known for their reverence and great love for natural resources— their primary bread-givers. The careless dumping of garbage and sewage in water sources around the capital is a sight which really affects anyone with a conscience. Along with indiscriminate dumping along river routes, killing of fishes using unconventional and harmful means such as by polluting the water with bleaching powder, electrocuting fishes by using generator sets etc have done colossal damage to the fragile river ecosystem which has resulted in death of other flora and fauna crucial for the health of a river in general.

Rivers in every country face an array of threats, and World Rivers Day observed annually in the month of September is an attempt to promote the active involvement of citizens to ensure the health of rivers in the years ahead. Rivers since times immemorial have been the cradle of civilization and aptly  the lifeline of millions. But sadly they are struggling for survival themselves.

Water is a basic necessity but paradoxically remains a luxury for half of the world’s population. March 22 is observed globally as World Water Day and this year focus is on wastewater and ways to reduce and reuse. Instead of celebrating the importance of water and water bodies once annually, the need of the hour is to change our attitude towards how we treat our life support systems.


Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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