Mission Clean Kley river an initiative to clean up Ziro valley’s lone water body which began few years ago is a fine example of community effort to safeguard our life-giving rivers. Recently, in a similar effort like-minded youths had also cleaned up various stretches of the Senki river which is the main river of the state capital. It is indeed a great feeling to witness popular picnic spots like Midpu, Poma in the capital region, which have laid down rules for picnickers, thus ensuring that after the merrymaking—a trail of litter is not left behind.

Comparatively these acts might seem like feeble attempts in front of a larger hostile populace which seldom pays any heed to what is going on with the environment. Nonetheless, at least few of us have taken on the onerous task.

Over the years the abuse of rivers has increased astronomically with pollutants becoming more toxic and complex. Not just big cities, but even smaller towns are neglecting and abusing rivers.

The careless dumping of garbage and sewage in water sources around the capital is a sight which really affects anyone with a conscience. Along with indiscriminate dumping along river routes, killing of fishes using unconventional and harmful means such as by polluting the water with bleaching powder, electrocuting fishes by using generator sets etc have done colossal damage to the fragile river ecosystem which has resulted in death of flora and fauna crucial for the health of a river in general.

It is sad what human insensitivity has done to our rivers.

Tribal communities here and elsewhere share a revered relationship with their environment. The Maori tribe of New Zealand fought for the recognition of their river as an ancestor and after 140 years of negotiation, they won the recognition for Whanganui river. The river is the first in the world to be treated as a  living entity. This is an example of the connect tribal society have with nature.

Society needs to wake up and fast to save our rivers.

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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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