No respite from industrial effluents 'dumped' in Central Gujarat river: Probe sought

By A Representative
Alleging that untreated industrial effluents continue to be dumped in Mahisagar, one of the major rivers of Central Gujarat, well-known environmentalists Rohit Prajapati and Krishnakant of the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti (PSS) in a letter to senior officials of the state government have said, their spot inquiry suggests things have not changed despite the fact that they had brought the matter before the authorities in a letter dated November 14 with concrete evidence.
Addressed to Gujarat chief secretary Anil Mukim and officials attached with the state environment department, the environmentalists asked “the authorities to take prompt action and investigate the matter in utmost urgency through a technically sound committee of experts for a period of minimum three months with close monitoring on a daily basis.”
Providing evidence in the form of videos and photographs, which they took on December 13, the environmentalists in their letter, a copy of which has been sent to the Gujarat Pollution Control Board, said, samples taken by them a month ago in Mahi river in villages Kareli, Dabka, Mujpur, and Umaraya, taluka Padra, district Vadodara, 25 km from Vadodara, had suggested the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) was 170 mg/litre and Dissolved Oxygen (DO) 2.93 mg/litre, “which speaks of the disastrous damage by itself.”

Dec 13: Prajapati at Mahi river, as an activist collects sample

The letter said, the confluence of the Mahi river and the effluent channel at ‘J Point’ in the Gulf of Khambhat is in very close proximity to that of the Sabarmati river, which passes through Ahmedabad, and “carries high concentration of sewage and industrial effluent, continuously dumped into Gulf of Khambhat, round the clock, unabated.”
It added, “This confluence area pollution is particularly alarming and worrisome as we fear that the tidal activities in the Gulf of Khambhat drive the highly toxic and polluted waters inland at the estuaries of the Mahi and Sabarmati rivers, hence causing tremendous risk to the settlements, villages and towns in that region.”
The environmentalists believed, “This is the result of continuous and voluminous discharge of effluent and sewage over a period of three decades, which might form toxic sediments in the stretches along Gulf of Khambhat, particularly near the mouths of the river estuaries which may get agitated and flow inwards, up the river with the boar, during high tides.”

Comments

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

CFA flags ‘welfare retreat’ in Union Budget 2026–27, alleges corporate bias

By Jag Jivan The advocacy group Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA) has sharply criticised the Union Budget 2026–27 , calling it a “budget sans kartavya” that weakens public welfare while favouring private corporations, even as inequality, climate risks and social distress deepen across the country.

From water scarcity to sustainable livelihoods: The turnaround of Salaiya Maaf

By Bharat Dogra We were sitting at a central place in Salaiya Maaf village, located in Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh, for a group discussion when an elderly woman said in an emotional voice, “It is so good that you people came. Land on which nothing grew can now produce good crops.”

'Big blow to crores of farmers’: Opposition mounts against US–India trade deal

By A Representative Farmers’ organisations and political groups have sharply criticised the emerging contours of the US–India trade agreement, warning that it could severely undermine Indian agriculture, depress farm incomes and open the doors to genetically modified (GM) food imports in violation of domestic regulatory safeguards.

When free trade meets unequal fields: The India–US agriculture question

By Vikas Meshram The proposed trade agreement between India and the United States has triggered intense debate across the country. This agreement is not merely an attempt to expand bilateral trade; it is directly linked to Indian agriculture, the rural economy, democratic processes, and global geopolitics. Free trade agreements (FTAs) may appear attractive on the surface, but the political economy and social consequences behind them are often unequal and controversial. Once again, a fundamental question has surfaced: who will benefit from this agreement, and who will pay its price?

Why Russian oil has emerged as the flashpoint in India–US trade talks

By N.S. Venkataraman* In recent years, India has entered into trade agreements with several countries, the latest being agreements with the European Union and the United States. While the India–EU trade agreement has been widely viewed in India as mutually beneficial and balanced, the trade agreement with the United States has generated comparatively greater debate and scrutiny.

Trade pacts with EU, US raise alarms over farmers, MSMEs and policy space

By A Representative A broad coalition of farmers’ organisations, trade unions, traders, public health advocates and environmental groups has raised serious concerns over India’s recently concluded trade agreements with the European Union and the United States, warning that the deals could have far-reaching implications for livelihoods, policy autonomy and the country’s long-term development trajectory. In a public statement issued, the Forum for Trade Justice described the two agreements as marking a “tectonic shift” in India’s trade policy and cautioned that the projected gains in exports may come at a significant social and economic cost.

From Puri to the State: How Odisha turned the dream of drinkable tap water into policy

By Hans Harelimana Hirwa, Mansee Bal Bhargava Drinking water directly from the tap is generally associated with developed countries where it is considered safe and potable. Only about 50 countries around the world offer drinkable tap water, with the majority located in Europe and North America, and a few in Asia and Oceania. Iceland, Switzerland, Finland, Germany, and Singapore have the highest-quality tap water, followed by Canada, New Zealand, Japan, the USA, Australia, the UK, Costa Rica, and Chile.

Michael Parenti: Scholar known for critiques of capitalism and U.S. foreign policy

By Harsh Thakor* Michael Parenti, an American political scientist, historian, and author known for his Marxist and anti-imperialist perspectives, died on January 24 at the age of 92. Over several decades, Parenti wrote and lectured extensively on issues of capitalism, imperialism, democracy, media, and U.S. foreign policy. His work consistently challenged dominant political and economic narratives, particularly those associated with Western liberal democracies and global capitalism.

Search This Blog