ECO TALK

Travels on the Ganga

Carrie Knowlton, University of Michigan, USA

I am an American graduate student studying freshwater ecology, water quality and public health. I came to India to work with Eco Friends and learn about the Ganga, because professors at my University, the University of Michigan, have taken a great interest in the Ganga, and have formed partnerships with Universities such as Patna University, Benares Hindu University, and IIT Kanpur to conduct a comprehensive study on the ecological state of the River. This interest arises from the personal interest of some of the professors, who are of Indian descent, but also because of some of the inherent similarities between the Ganga river basin and our own watershed. These include similar size and amount of water, similar problems with pollution, and a culture centered on an abundance of freshwater in continents that are otherwise relatively dry. Poor water quality in some parts of the Great Lakes and the Ganga have also led to the discovery of zooplankton (single celled animals) that have developed similar abnormal tumors.

Michigan is a state in the northern Midwestern United States, surrounded by five of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, and filled with rivers, streams, and hundreds of smaller lakes. I have spent most of my life in Michigan, and have always been surrounded by water, everywhere. But Michigan, like India, has struggled with pollution and the abuse of its resources. Because of industrial pollutants, some of our native fish are now considered unsafe to eat because of the level of toxic chemicals, mercury in particular, that have accumulated in their bodies. The water level in the Great Lakes has been decreasing, and other states that have been abusing or depleting their own water resources now ask that our water be transported to them. In both Michigan Rivers and the Ganga, microscopic organisms called zooplankton have been recorded to have abnormal tumors, speculated to be the result of high levels of pollutants in the water. We have taken our access to clean water for granted, but we are abusing our most precious resource. India and the US can learn from each other, as the conservation of water worldwide is not a local, but a global imperative.

The Ganga is famous all over the world, although I have always known it as the Ganges. In America, when we think of India, we often think of the Ganga – it is mysterious and beautiful to us that people can believe so strongly in the power of a river to wash away their impurities and sins. In the five weeks I have spent in India, I have had the opportunity to travel to three sites on the Ganga – Patna, Varanasi, and, of course, Kanpur, each awe-inspiring in its own way.

In Patna, I was struck by the sheer size of the river – after being fed by tributaries and the accumulation of rain during the monsoon, the water pours over the banks, mightily flowing towards the Bay of Bengal. Although the water is polluted in Patna, I was stricken by its beauty, by the many colorful birds living on its shores, the river dolphins frolicking between the fishing boats whose owners rely on the Ganga for food and livelihood. I have seen no river, in America or elsewhere, as awesome as this.

In Varanasi, I was introduced to the cultural importance of the Ganga. The ancient temples and rituals unfamiliar to me taking place along the banks of the river captivated my attention. I know about the pollution in the river, and am aware of the diseases that can be passed by bathing in the water, but was still inspired by worshippers at the ghats in Varanasi, by their faith and reverence for the Ganga and her water. The rituals I saw in Varanasi are foreign to me, but the concepts behind them are familiar. Just as people bathe in the Ganga to cleanse and purify their souls, my grandparents took me to a Catholic church when I was only a few months old, before I can remember, to baptize me in holy water, anointing themselves before they entered the sacred space to affirm their faith in God and protect themselves from harm. Water is revered in all cultures, it is universal and natural to believe in its power to heal and purify.

Unfortunately, clean water is becoming scarce, and its capacity to purify is only so powerful. Faith is a beautiful thing, but it must be tempered with common sense and personal responsibility. In Kanpur, I was as awestricken by the Ganga as I was in Patna and Varanasi, but it was because of pollution, not beauty. I took a boat trip along the river and was shocked by what I saw – the hundreds of drain pipes discharging raw sewage and toxic effluent into the river, and people bathing or watering their cattle only a few hundred meters downstream. I visited the villages of Jajmau, and witnessed the health problems people suffer from exposure to this toxic water – fingernails blackened from exposure to chromium, skin lesions and stomach illnesses. I toured the waste treatment plants, in severe disrepair, more examples of the all too common tragedy of well-intentioned but poorly implemented development projects. It is tragic that a river with such potential for beauty and the sustenance of life has been so abused.

As saddened as I am by the state of the Ganga at Kanpur, I am inspired by organizations such as Eco Friends and youth such as yourselves, who have taken the initiative to protest the current state of the river and make changes for the better. My time in India is short, and I am happy to contribute what I can, but it is you, the young citizens of Kanpur, who will suffer the most from the state of the Ganga today, and be able to influence its future most. I encourage you to take what you have learned today and use it, to educate your peers and families, to take action against the forces responsible for the pollution, and refuse to accept the injustices caused by this abuse of your precious natural resource.

Dr. Elizabeth A. Guillette who visited Eco Friends recently (July 11,2004 - July 21, 2004) takes a boat ride on the Ganga. Here is her account of the experience.

I braced myself against the stench for another boat ride down the Ganga. Much to my surprise, there were no offending odors. The river was running rapidly, diluting and washing away the upstream disposal of untreated sewage. The water had risen to within a few meters of the tannery discharge pipes, hiding the blue sediments of the chromium and other toxic waste. While not at a flood state, gone were the islands, which previously accumulated trash and corpses. Also under water were the patches of land, which farmers had used during the previous growing season. The land was being rejuvenated for next year’s plantings. Old temples and the remains of fancy buildings lined the banks. The innocent eye would see nothing but beauty on this section of the Ganga. My thought ran differently. Still present were a few tell-tale bubbly accumulations of waste. Where was this majority of waste going and what lands further down the river would be affected? Much of the human waste products would be broken down, but the industrial toxic materials are persistent, either evaporating into the air for someone to breathe, entering bodies through the skin during bathing, or even being used for drinking and cooking. No comment sums up the situation better than ”Dilution is not the Solution to Pollution. more...

Two French girls Laure de Rotalier and Agnes Saule after traveling several countries came to Kanpur on April, 2004 to study Ganga and its religious significance. Their curiosity to know more about Ganga drew their attention towards Eco Friends.They spent 3 days with Eco Friends and shared their experiences with us more...

T. S. Gopi Rethinaraj, currently a doctoral candidate in the Department of Nuclear, Plasma and Radiological Engineering at the University of Illinois spoke to Dr. A. C. Shukla on energy and water issues, specially interlinking of rivers. Dr. A.C. Shukla is a Visiting Scholar, ACDIS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. more...

S P Mishra currently holds the post of City Commissioner in Kanpur and is the administrative head of Kanpur Municipal Corporation. Mr. Mishra talked to Mohd. Owais on various issues pertaining to pollution of Kanpur and river Ganga. more...

Smt. Anita Bhatnagar Jain, Vice-Chairperson, Kanpur Development Authority, IAS officer (1985 batch), spoke her mind on various environment and pollution related issues, while talking to Rakesh K Jaiswal, Executive Secretary, Eco-friends. more...

Dr Vandana Asthana is the Head of the Political Science Department and Environmental Studies Unit, Christ Church College, Kanpur, expressed her views on Ganga and Ganga Action Plan freely while talking to Rakesh K. Jaiswal, Executive Secretary, Eco Friends. more...

Dr. A. C. Shukla, formerly headed Bio-pollution Study Centre at Christ Church College, Kanpur. Dr Shukla, the Founder President of Eco Friends expressed his frank views about Ganga and Ganga Action Plan while talking to Rakesh K Jaiswal, Executive Secretary, Eco Friends. more...

Deputy Mayor of Kanpur Chetana Sharma shares her views on Ganga pollution with Eco Friends.   more...

Ram Nath Mahendra is the All-India Treasurer of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). He is also the Regional President (Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal) of the outfit. In an interview given to Eco Friends, Mr Mahendra expressed his anguish at the deplorable condition of the river Ganga and declared that VHP would soon launch a massive Clean-Ganga campaign with the help of saints in Kanpur. more...

Jacek Bozek is a Polish river activist who is striving hard to save the Vistula river in Europe. Founder of the GAJA club, Jacek is helped by his wife Beata in the group's activities. Recently, he was in Kanpur and Eco Friends took the opportunity to speak to him and find out what he thought of Ganga's pollution. more...

Suchitra Singh is a woman of conviction, who cares about the ambience around her and more importantly, inspires others to do so. She is the President Elect of Rotary Club. A member of All India Women’s Conference, Suchitra is an interior designer by profession.more...

Director of Wendy Group of Schools Kanpur, P C Mal is also an avid ornithologist. In this interview given to Eco Friends, he takes a deep look at the problem of pollution and suggests ways to tackle it. more...

Amitayush Vyas and Roger Choate are members of Civil Society Parnership Programme of Varanasi-based Sankat Mochan Foundation which is campaigning for a clean Ganga.
They spoke to EcoFriends and reflected their views on the Ganga pollution and how it should be handled. more...

Father S M D'Souza, principal of St Aloysius' School, shares his feelings on the environmental crisis looming over Kanpur. more...

Colombian researcher Anamaria Aristizabal and Washington-based freelance journalist Andrew Blackwell speak to EcoFriends about the Ganga river pollution.more...

Sister Smitha of St. Mary's Convent School feels that the involvement of children is necessary to solve the environmental problem. more...

In an interview with EcoFriends, Dr. Naim Hamid talked about the deteriorating condition of Kanpur and expressed his concern about the same. more...

Seventeen-year-old Shantanu Adhicary is a 12th class student of Sheiling House School, Kanpur. His honest and committed efforts as a Ganga Ambassador made us to delve deep into his mind. more...