Rivers must be revered as national treasure: Sadhguru
Naveen Garewal
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 29
Punjab and Haryana that have been at loggerheads over sharing of river waters for over five decades have both finally acknowledged that there is a need to work for revival of dying rivers to boost availability of water. This follows the initiative by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev who was in the state capital today as part of his 8,300-km-long ‘Rally for Rivers’ campaign. Both Punjab and Haryana have committed themselves, along with 14 other states, to support a draft policy for rejuvenation of rivers.
Sadhguru, founder of Isha Foundation that launched the month-long campaign taking him from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, to New Delhi covering the length and breadth of the country and holding 125 awareness events said: “We are on the threshold of disaster and if we do not act on a war footing to revitalise our rivers now, then it would take over a century to normalise
the situation.”
Addressing audience from Haryana and Punjab at the local Tagore Theatre in the presence of Punjab and Haryana Governors and Haryana Chief Minister, he said: “The rivers of this nation are dying and an immediate public support and government commitment is needed to
save them.”
He said the rivers must be treated as national treasure and not private property.
“For the first time in 70 years all political parties beyond politics and ideology are rallying for revival of rivers,” he said.
The Punjab Government and Isha Foundation today signed an MoU for water recharging and plantation around rivers. Emphasising the need for soil conservation and water preservation, the Sadguru said about three lakh farmers had committed suicide in the country in the past 10 years. When there is poor soil and no water, farmer suicides are natural. As against the required two per cent organic content in the top soil, Punjab and Haryana have less than 0.05 per cent. If degradation of soil is not checked, soon 25 per cent of the country’s area would turn into a desert.
The Sadhguru said he was working on a draft policy for revival of rivers with the Centre. As most rivers in India are not glacier-fed and depend on rain caused from precipitation, it was imperative that one- kilometer land on both sides of river banks have a green cover from trees.
“Where the land belongs to the government, there should be tree plantation and where the land is private, farmers should be encouraged to start horticulture. This will increase the income of the farmers three to four times in six to seven years, besides improving the soil and rejuvenating the rivers.”
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar while supporting the initiative said clean water would soon flow into the Ghaggar passing through the state as the sewerage treatment plants (STPs) installed in major townships along the river was expected to be made fully functional by the next year. He assured full support of people of the state in it.
Haryana Governor Prof Kaptan Singh Solanki also expressed concern over the depleting water level in the rivers and said water in some rivers had reduced even by 44 per cent. In Ganga, the water had dipped by 50 per cent. Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore, who participated in the flag-off ceremony of the campaign, said in many parts of Rajasthan, children as old as seven had never seen rain. He described the response to the Rally for Rivers as a referendum in the country to endorse the efforts of the Sadhguru.
The Sadhguru urged people to give a missed call on 80009-80009 and make the government feel empowered for framing a long term policy for the preservation of river and waters.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who was scheduled to be present, cancelled his participation at the last minute, possibly considering water being a contentious issue between Punjab and Haryana. Among those present on the occasion included former Union Minister Parneet Kaur and Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher.
