http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Save_Ganga_Movement
Save Ganga Movement is a widespread Gandhian non-violent movement supported by saints and popular social activists across the Indian States Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in support of a free Ganga.
Ganges is the largest and the most sacred river of India with enormous spiritual, cultural, and physical influence. It provides water to about 40% of India's population in 11 states. It is estimated that the livelihoods of over 500 million people in India are dependant upon the river, and that one-third of India's population lives within the Ganges Basin.
Save Ganga Movement is a widespread Gandhian non-violent movement supported by saints and popular social activists across the Indian States Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in support of a free Ganga.
Ganges is the largest and the most sacred river of India with enormous spiritual, cultural, and physical influence. It provides water to about 40% of India's population in 11 states. It is estimated that the livelihoods of over 500 million people in India are dependant upon the river, and that one-third of India's population lives within the Ganges Basin.
Pollution
River Ganges flows through the most densely populated regions of India passing 29 cities with population over 100,000, 23 cities with population between 50,000 and 100,000, and about 48 towns. A sizeable proportion of the effluents in Ganges are caused by this population through domestic usage like bathing, laundry and public defecation. Countless tanneries, chemical plants, textile mills, distilleries, slaughterhouses, and hospitals contribute to the pollution of the Ganges by dumping untreated toxic and non-biodegradable waste into it. It is this sheer volume of pollutants released into the river every day that are causing irreparable damage to the ecosystem and contributing to significant sanitation issues.
Dams
The government of India planned about 300 dams on the Ganges in the near future and the tributaries despite a government-commissioned green panel report that has recommended scrapping 34 of the dams citing environmental concerns.
Global warming
Gangotri glacier which feeds the river Ganges and currently 30.2 km long and between 0.5 and 2.5 km wide is one of the largest in the Himalaya. However, Due to global warming it has been receding since 1780, although studies show its retreat quickened after 1971. Over the last 25 years, Gangotri glacier has retreated more than 850 meters, with a recession of 76 meters from 1996 to 1999 alone.The UN 2007 Climate Change Report has suggested that the glacial flow may completely stop by 2030, at which point the Ganges would be reduced to a seasonal river during the monsoon season.
Demands
The movement is solely aimed at one goal – to prevent the anti-nature, anti-human, anti-environment activities against Ganges and sustain the cultural importance, holiness and age old heritage of the same. Though most of the demands are directly related to the pollution and construction works overs Ganges, there are ought to be several demands related indirectly to these.
No construction
It is demanded that the Upper course of Ganges should be strictly disallowed any kind of damning and construction work.[24] It should be declared a Wild River zone and visits by tourists and people to Gangotri National Park should also be regulated and toned down. Eco-friendly tourism should replace the present eco-hostile tourism. Time-bound steps for non-commercial afforestation of the Uttarakhand should be undertaken and these activities should be carried by the local people, using samplings of local plants.This demand was backed by a recent report prepared by the state-funded Wildlife Institute of India that recommended scrapping 34 of the Ganges dam projects, citing environmental concerns.
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