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| Prof GD Agrawal |
India's top civil rights network, National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), regrets, despite the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared himself Gangaputra in 2014 and named the ministry of water resources after Ganga, things have not changed. NAPM said, even today, one cannot ignore the condition of Ganga remains difficult. Illegal sand mining, construction of huge dams, and a total contempt of environmental laws continue.
Recalling how Swami Gyanswaroop Sanand, or Prof GD Agarwal, an intelligent scientist who fully understood Ganga, gave his life for the sake of the river, observing hunger strike for 110 days, NAPM says, there is still no sympathy for his demands, nor have rulers engaged in discussion on keeping Ganga clean and serene.
Earlier, another saint, Swami Nigamanand, who was fast in 2013 to stop illegal sand mining, sacrificed his life, and now a 26-year-old young saint, Atmbodhanand, is on fast for 90 days, consuming only honey and lemon. NAPM says, one has to see if their sacrifice would help save Ganga or it would lead to the river's natural destruction.
Suggesting that the situation is not very different with other rivers, such as Narmada, Godavari, Kaveri, Damodar, Periyar and Krishna, NAPM says, even the minimum amount of water required to keep the rivers alive is not allowed to flow down these rivers. On the other hand, these rivers are allowed to be polluted, destroying biodiversity, including land, forests, flora and fauna. Villages inhabiting along these rivers are being uprooted, even pilgrim centres are not being spared.
Calling upon all sensitive and thoughtful citizens to wake up, today and now, wonders NAPM: Will the society wake up? Will questions be raised on the state of the indigenous people?
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