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Rivers in danger

It may become impossible to preserve rivers as life-giving watercourses that have nurtured communities for millennia if governments fail to address, with a sense of urgency, the factors that threaten their health. This stark message from the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) is contained in its assessment of the world's 10 magnificent rivers in different continents released to coincide with World Water Day on March 22. Considering that the WWF has relied upon eight international studies to make a forecast, its warnings should serve as a reminder for policymakers that time may be running out for the rivers, one of which is the Ganges. Deeply divisive conflicts casting their shadow over river water agreements are all too familiar; a system to conclude enforceable water compacts among states remains elusive. In addition, grave environmental threats such as pollution, unsustainable dam building, excessive extraction of water, climate change, and over fishing are affecting the health of rivers. In the case of the Ganges, a biodiversity-rich and culturally important river system, an estimated 60 per cent of flows of its tributaries are used for agriculture. Besides, environmentally disruptive projects such as the Tehri dam are used to store vast quantities of water for farming, drinking, and power generation; surface water extraction is increasing in States that lie along the river's course; and more diversion of waters is planned.

Harvesting of river waters to the point of choking off environmental flows is bound to prove ruinous in the long-term even if it provides immediate benefits. The WWF projection indicates that the annual renewable Ganges flow could slip into a situation of scarcity by 2025 although per capita supply at present is generally adequate to ample. Climate change may also affect the Himalayan glaciers, which provide an estimated 30 to 40 per cent of present flows. This could further jeopardise supply, particularly in the dry season prior to the monsoon. The task ahead is to make more economical use of water for agriculture and other purposes. Inundating forests for new dams will shrink vital carbon sinks and contribute to global warming, setting off a feedback process that will accelerate the erosion of the Himalayan glaciers. Rivers such as the Ganges and their rich diversity of plants and animals can also be better protected if community-based rainwater harvesting practices are strengthened. Massive investments in sanitation, sewage treatment, and pollution control are equally important to keep the rivers healthy.

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