Swachchh means transparent. It also means free from obnoxiousness of any kind. Swachchh Bharat means India should be free from any kind of pollution. The Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi desired to make India indigenous and free from all kinds of filth. land, water, air of the country and the political, social, financial and spiritual life of every Indian should be clean so that India sets an example for others.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeated a Gandhian concern when he has given a call for keeping the country clean and bringing out a Swachchh Bharat.
The mission cannot be achieved unless every citizen of India contributes his labour to make India free from any kind of pollution. Modi has added another slogan with Swachchh Bharat; that is ‘Make in India’. Unless the infrastructure and environment are clean and congenial, industries and mega projects cannot flourish.
Therefore, the ‘Make in India’ programme is an out product of Swachchh Bharat.
Man is the greatest polluter of environment. Other than man, there is no animal in the animal kingdom which pollutes its own habitat so much.
The man hardly hesitates to destroy self staining infrastructure of nature for his own selfish goal. All the river systems and wetlands of India are now highly polluted. The water is the life of the all living beings. The rich water sources contribute to rich biodiversities.
The Gangetic plains which are very fertile and sustain the granary of the country get water from the river Ganga. But today this stands out to be the most polluted river system of India and of the globe. All cities like Rishikesh, Haridwar, Delhi, lukhnow, Allahabad, Varanasi, Kanpur, Kolkata and Patna, besides other smaller towns, on the bank of the holy river use Ganga river for various purposes as well as pollute it by releasing their filth into it. The length of the river is 2,510 km.
Every day tons and tons of garbage, including dead bodies and excreta of human beings, are released into this river without valid explanations. The sewage system of these metros is linked to the river.
The natural flow of the water in the Ganga or any river of the country is not possible because of excessive human interferences. The aquatic creatures are a major victim of this water pollution. In Odisha also all major rivers stand polluted. The river system of Mahanadi forms the largest wetland within the State. The total length of the river is 959.8 km. The whole river system of India can be divided into two main groups.
The one is the Himalayan river system and the other is the Peninsular river system. Both Ganga and Mahanadi flow into the Bay of Bengal and form equal eco-climate regions within their plains. When Ganga becomes the major drainage system of north and eastern India, Mahanadi river system is a major drainage system of Chhatisgarh and Odisha.
The Government of India has decided to close 144 drains of metros and cities to save Ganga from pollutions. Similarly, the Government has set up a number teams comprising ex- service men and NGOs to save Ganga from pollution at several vulnerable points. It has been decided that the garbage thrown into the river from different points of pilgrimage centre will be recovered and recycled into compost manure.
The save Ganga plan is quite a welcoming move. If the tempo is maintained, the natural character of the river system can be restored one day.
The same type of planning should be made for river Mahanadi, Brahmani and Baitarani. The Hindu festivals like Durga Puja, Kali Puja, lakshmi Puja, Biswakarma Puja, Ganesh Puja and Saraswati Puja etc. pollute the river systems and wetlands of the country more than any other means of pollution.
The water, air and soil get heavily polluted due immersion of thousands of idols. There are various chemicals which do not dissolve in the river water and accumulate on the river floor causing various ecological damages to the flora and fauna of the rivers.
Similarly the chemicals which dissolve also cause damage to the flora and fauna of the wetlands. These Hindu festivals generally prevail during commencement of winter when harvesting of different crops takes place.
This is also the breeding season of different aquatic animals of rivers, swamps, lakes and sea. If pollutions continue at the present rate, it is definite that out rivers and seas will be deserted of flora and fauna. The climatic hazards will occur within sea and also within the land beyond human control.
We are facing regular hazards owing to climate change over last many years. The India subcontinent is mostly responsible for pollution of the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian sea.
At present the Olive Riddle sea turtles and different types of avifauna from foreign lands are coming to the Odisha coast for breeding. They have right to come and breed and also to spend the winter within the tropical region.
If congenial climate for breeding of such animals and birds is not available, they will certainly skip the yearly phenomenon. The lakes are also supported by the river systems. If the river systems of India are spoiled and become inhabitable for any living animal, the lakes will also face the same fate. This would trigger a biological crisis.
Swachchhta should, therefore, be the main mantra of our survival. This will pave way for economic prosperity and well-being. Seven cities and towns along the river Ganaga are presently selected for beautification under river front management scheme.
Tree groves can be created as a part of eco- beautification to save land erosion and flooding in the river. Similarly, Rs51,000 crore has been allotted for construction of sewerage infrastructure to save Ganga. Not just Ganga, but all the river systems of India should be brought under similar schemes.
(The writer is a former senior forest officer and an environmentalist. Tel no 9937460649)