World Water Day

The United Nations reminded all countries on March 22, World Water
Day, that humanity continues to impose a staggering burden on rivers,
lakes, and deltas each year in the form of pollution. What the UN has
highlighted in its report titled "Sick Water?" should stir the
conscience of people everywhere. Pollutants dumped in key water
sources annually are estimated to weigh as much as the global
population — close to seven billion people. This disturbing truth
should encourage everyone starting with national governments to do
more to protect the broth of life. The first step is to plug the
sources of the millions of tonnes of sewage and industrial and
agricultural waste that are pumped perennially into waterways and
other freshwater reserves. Action taken to improve water quality pays
rich dividends — the UN Environment Programme and Habitat estimate the
return to be anything between $3 and $34 for every dollar spent,
depending upon the region and technology employed. Such investments
are particularly important for India.
India's response to pollution has been atrociously slow. In 2008, the
country had the capacity to treat only about 18 per cent of the sewage
produced in cities and towns; and the increments since thenhave been
insignificant. The rest of the sewage flows into waterways and lakes,
contaminating groundwater and spreading disease. The Lok Sabha
recently heard from Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh that in the
nation's capital, a vast volume of untreated sewage was flowing into
the Yamuna every day. This goes on merrily at a time some idle
capacity is available in Delhi's treatment plants. The problem is
linked to the national issue of insufficient housing, sanitation, and
sewerage. The most infamous example of India's failed attempts at
river cleansing is that of the Ganga, which has over the millennia
been revered as a holy river. It is listed by the UN as severely
polluted, with its basin receiving billions of litres of wastewater
every year. Clearly, governments are abdicating their responsibility
towards citizens by allowing the poisoning of meagre and dwindling
freshwater. Some are keen to set up expensive desalination plants,
without making a parallel effort to protect surface and groundwater,
and recover wastewater. The way forward is to enforce the
well-recognised 'polluter pays' principle. Industry and municipal
authorities should lead the clean up. When will rising India realise
it must go all out to ensure clean water for its people?
For love of water Editorial in THE HINDU newspaper.