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The Last Word
Ganga: Can Batters become Saviours?
Rajen Kumar
May 2011
May 2011
I was witness to a 'seminar' organized recently in Rishikesh on saving the Holy Ganga. Many experts came out with the technology and comments on how to save the dwindling conditions of Ganga. The place of the seminar was a popular ashram. The speakers included famous personalities like Dr. Pachouri and the activist Sunderlal Bhauhuna. Each expert was given a limited time to come out with his comments. All agreed the holy must be saved at any cost.
It was amusing to note that the very platform on which the experts were giving a clarion call to all and sundry to save Ganga was an encroachment on the river. There may be over 1000 ashrams which have unscrupulously mushroomed along the banks of the river from Haridwar to Rishkesh. Each one of them had his share of either encroachment or displayed blatant neglect of the Holy River.
A call was sent out to grow trees to restore our forests and to save the River. Planting of trees does not make forests as forests are never made. Forests are a natural phenomena and one can only save forests by not cutting trees. The thick hills overlooking the Ganga in Rishikesh and which were once a vibrant forest today look like a mini township with all the hilly slopes bubbling with commercial activity.
Where do the Ganga saviours vanish when the Ashrams and others go wild in expanding their domains. It is a painful fact that the money-rich, lobby-rich ashrams duly patronized by our politicians are above the preview of any law and evince no accountability, whatsoever.
The sad fact is that the Ganga, the cradle of the Indian civilization, whose basin makes up almost half of India's irrigated fertile land, and which is home to millions of people, is dying.
We have reason to feel deeply anguished that we have failed to display our reverence to the Holy River. Our efforts to make the Ganga free from pollution have gone in vain. Despite spending millions of rupees on restoring the great River to its original pride, the lifeline of millions of people remains in a dilapidated state.
It is a great irony that on the one hand we worship the River and call it Ma Ganga (Mother Ganga) and on the other we display little respect to the Divine Mother by blatantly polluting it. Our industry has shown little enthusiasm in saving the River and remains indifferent to the directives not to pollute the Ganga.
We need efforts beyond seminars and workshops.
Road shows in the vulnerable areas, monitoring of the industries allowing pollutants into the River are the need of the hour. A battery of Task Forces comprising volunteers, retired experts, engineers must be developed by all those concerned with the pious cause. Such a Task Force must work in the areas. We are already too late in the day for making plans on papers and holding closed door seminars evincing media glare. Concerted efforts are required and we are sure thousands and thousands of like-minded people of the ilk of Bahuguna and Anna Hazare and lot others feeling their spiritual responsibility will come out leaving their homes and comforts to the rescue of the Mother Ganga. That will be the greatest and the most ardent worship we will ever do for the most pious and most revered Mother River.
Read The Last Word -1 : A Pat for the Minister
http://www.smeworld.org/story/last-word/pat-for-minister.php
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