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Ganga Among 10 Dying RiversBy sachiv1, Section Water
The Ganga, which is virtually synonymous with Indian civilisation, is dying. Pollution, over-extraction of water, emaciated tributaries and climatic changes are killing the mighty river, on whose fecund plains live one in 12 people of this planet.
 But, indiscriminate extraction of water with tubewells from the river as well as its basin, coupled with the damming of its tributaries for irrigation, have reduced its regeneration and its flow.
Climate change has added to the threat faced by the river. Said WWF programme director Sejal Worah: "Glaciers account for as much as 30-40% of water in the Ganga and this goes up to 70-80% in the case of Indus. Studies are required to gauge the impact of melting glaciers on the flow."
It is not just humans who are in danger. The river is home to over 140 fish species, 90 amphibian species and the endangered Ganga river dolphin. The Ganga is, of course, sacred to the Hindus, has spawned many great cities on its banks and is the centre of several social and religious traditions. Nehru once said: "From her source to the sea, from old times to new, the Ganga is the story of India's civilisation." The report is a wake-up call not only to save the great river but also this great civilisation, said WWF. Conservation must be seen as part and parcel of national security, health and growth, said Ravi Singh, secretary general and CEO, WWF-India. "We must change our mindset now or pay the price in the not-so-distant future." (Source-Times Of India,21/03/07)
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