It is shocking to note that about 10,762 people and institutions have occupied about 230 rivers in 53 districts across the country as reported by this daily on Friday.
Most of the country’s rivers have been illegally occupied by influential people and numerous institutions, destroying the entire ecological balance and natural beauty. More than a hundred rivers have already died since independence. The list of who is responsible for the slow but sure death of our rivers is also a long one—from big corporations to government institutions, everyone seems to have claimed their share of the pie.
It is high time that the government takes a
holistic and unbiased approach to save the
rivers across the country from encroachment
Industries seem to think it is their right to dump their waste into our rivers. Grabbers see no problem in claiming vast areas of water bodies for their personal and commercial use. The High Court issued a 17-point directive in 2019 to save the country’s rivers and water bodies, and the Prime Minister herself has, on multiple occasions, directed the ministries to take necessary measures. Yet, our rivers continue to turn into drains.
It is high time that the government takes a holistic and unbiased approach to save the rivers across the country from encroachment. We have made mistakes in the way we treated our rivers so far. Let us not continue to make those mistakes in future.
