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The Yamuna gets an unexpected campaigner

ACTIVIST: Ramya Ramakrishna

Fighting to save the Yamuna, the Capital's only river, campaigners recently found help from unexpected quarters in the form of a seven-year-old little bundle of energy Ramya Ramakrishna from Chennai. The girl, on a personal visit to Delhi along with her parents, was convinced about the cause and managed to secure 403 signatures for the ongoing "Save the Yamuna" campaign.

The campaign initiated this March by various non-government organisations including Matu People's Organisation, Pani Morcha, PEACE Institute, Ridge Bachao Andolan and Toxics Link aims at collecting one-lakh signatures from the people of Delhi highlighting the urgent need to protect the Yamuna. The petition, also available online, is to be submitted to the Prime Minister and other senior national leaders.

"The little girl was at Delhi's Mayur Vihar Phase I Uttara Guruvayurappa temple on April 15 when she heard about the campaign and was convinced enough to encourage others to join in,'' says Manoj Misra, member of the campaign. The group has already submitted the second set of over 1,000 signatures highlighting their appeal.

The campaigners are going to temples, schools and residential areas and using the net to reach out to Delhiites to join and raise their voice for the city's own river. "The 22 km stretch of river Yamuna in Delhi is the lifeline of the city and the flood plains of the river are critical for the ground water recharge. A substantial part of the water supply to the city of Delhi is met and shall continue to be met from ground water sources. No building should be raised in the flood plains since the city of Delhi lying in zone IV of seismic map is vulnerable to severe damage from an earthquake,'' says Misra, speaking about the appeal.

The group also wants the Government to understand that the Commonwealth Games 2010 village proposed to be built in the Yamuna flood plains will usher in an irreversible process of commercialisation and conversion of the already beleaguered flood plain.-- Bindu Shajan Perappadan

-- Bindu Shajan Perappadan

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