Government reforms must include basin-scale hydrological and ecological conservation efforts Michelle Irengbam, Shivani Barthwal, Niladri Dasgupta, Ruchi Badola & Syed Ainul Hussain
The river Ganga has a complex web of problems that emanate simply due to its sheer size, course and the population it supports. The competing roles of the river basin— economic development, livelihood resource generation, energy supply, and biodiversity conservation— necessitate well-researched tradeoffs and synergistic alliances. However, as typical of complex governance systems with multiple actors, inconsistent policies and practices have resulted in severe degradation of the river’s ecosystem and its biodiversity.
Ecological services, essential for the survival of communities and aquatic species, are created and sustained by a free-flowing river. But most of the Ganga’s flow is diverted primarily for hydropower generation and irrigation, compromising the ecological and hydrological integrity of the river and creating a fragmented river system. This managed flow of the river signifies highly unequal power relations as is evident from the amount of water left for ecological sustenance, bringing about socio-ecological polarisation in the region.
Despite being a powerful hub for culture and history and a haven for devotees, the Ganga is highly polluted. The causes of pollution are many—influx of domestic sewage, agricultural and industrial wastes and wastes from religious and cultural rites. The local communities here thrive on a water economy, largely dependent on the river’s resources. The region is also among the most fertile belts due to alluvial soil deposits, hence, agriculture accounts for a large portion of the local economy. The resulting agricultural practices and excessive use of fertilizers have put the river and its aquatic life under stress. However, controlling the influx of waste is only a part of the challenge.
This story is from the August 16, 2019 edition of Down To Earth.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 16, 2019 edition of Down To Earth.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
INVISIBLE THREAT
Significant presence of microplastics in Puducherry’s agricultural soil raises concerns for soil and crop health
Feeding off each other
VEGETARIAN MOVEMENTS IN SOUTH ASIA AND THE WEST GREW WITH MUTUAL SUPPORT AND VALIDATION
India's unhealthy patent amendments
Despite strong pleas, the Modi regime has changed the rules to impose a cost on those who challenge faulty patents
URBAN DISCOMFORT
Poorly planned, heat-trapping infrastructure, along with dwindling natural spaces, turn up the temperatures in major Indian cities
BLAZING SUN IS ON
Rising temperatures are testing the limits of human tolerance to heat. With their predominantly built-up landscape, urban areas offer no respite. A study by the Centre for Science and Environment on the morphology and heat patterns of nine Indian cities over the past decade shows how these urban centres are turning into heat islands with a potentially serious impact on human health. An analysis by Rajneesh Sareen, Mitashi Singh and Nimish Gupta, with Shagun in Haryana and Kiran Pandey
"H5N1 may be more severe than COVID-19"
In early April, the US confirmed the first case of avian influenza in livestock, along with cow-to-human transmission of the virus disease.
A PSYCHEDELIC HIGH
Driven by surge in global trials and low success rate of current medications in treating mental health problems, researchers call for home-grown clinical trials of psychedelic drugs
Locked out
Two years after becoming the only state to be excluded from the Centre's ruralemployment guarantee scheme, villages in West Bengal grapple with distress migration and debt traps
'Protection from climate change part of right to life'
The Supreme Court of India, on April 5, recognised that citizens have a right to be free from the adverse effects of climate change, saying it is intertwined with the fundamental rights to life and equality. Here are the key arguments articulated by the three-judge bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra in their judgement
Weaving dreams
Tribal communities in West Bengal slowly embrace traditional weaving to ensure sustainable livelihood