20th Apr 2019 10:04:PM Editorials
Eastern Sentinel Arunachal News

The news  about East Kameng district administration prohibiting  the dumping of garbage in Kameng river has caught an extra attention because of the inclusion of Section 144 of the CPC making it a criminal offence in case of any violation of the order. The district administration has been forced to take this drastic step since repeated written & verbal requests have been futile so far. Kameng’s case is not exclusive in character, rather it is a representative example of an acute problem confronting the nation- pollution, accompanied with  lackadaisical attitude towards the issue which  often aggravates it handsomely.
The topic of pollution as a whole is undoubtedly one of the most widely discussed matter in country, since with each passing day the situation is taking more ugly turns, pushing things to the brink of ‘beyond repair’. The pristine white Taj Mahal had turned brown, the eternal Ganga and many of its tributaries have become drain-like and clean air is now a rarity. Each form of pollution has its own unique damaging capabilities, but when it comes to river pollution, the pain is not limited within the ecological & health parameters. It’s an emotional issue too since for centuries people of this country have worshipped the rivers as gods and goddesses. And it’s sheer irony that in spite of the profound respect and reverence, it has not been possible to reach that desired mark of purity and cleanliness, as of now. Be it Ganga, Yamuna, Brahmaputra , Kaveri or any non-descript  river- all have a common script and their once pure waters are now but storehouses of serious water-borne diseases which would spare none- human population, fish, birds and the environment in entirety.
But it was not that pre-historic times we have to retreat when things were just perfect. It was only just a few decades ago, all across the nation, when one would stroll to a local stream or river to collect drinking water or just swim and enjoy. It’s unthinkable today as serious health consequences are most likely to chase. And yet, there is no way we can do without rivers as they are the lifelines of the nation. It’s a catch-22 situation, and to get out of it, the on-going measures must be supplemented with more tough laws. Many nations facing the same complexities have been successful as they have given priority to the issue and executed the plans with true zeal and commitment.
India’s case is more complex and the road to rectification of  her rivers  should  be an optimum mix of laws, awareness & commitment. And since precious time had already been wasted, it’s  really now a race against time.


Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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