POLLUTION OF GODAVARI RIVER : A SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY
July 11th, 2010
I. POLLUTION OF GODAVARI RIVER WATER FROM ITS SOURCE OF GENERATION (TRIMBAKESHWAR TO NANDED) TO FIELD INPUT DUE TO HUMAN ACTIVITY:
Generally the water, from river are drawn through main canal, and distributed through branch canals, distributaries, field channels to the field. As far as Godavari river is concerned, the irrigation canals and branch canals are passing through many of the towns, villages, religious places etc. The main source of drinking water in the villages is through village drinking water tanks, fed by river water.
Modern agriculture,population and industrilization has made human needs for development more difficult. From the time past many years, the drinking water tanks are source of fresh water for drinking purpose in the villages, in preference to urban areas. Now the position has changed. They are no more fresh water in lakes, wells and other reservoirs but containing polluted water only. The water pollution even in the villages is predominantly high; some times they also have to depend on ground water or private water resources for drinking purposes. This is due to large scale water pollution in river water.
The river is passing by the towns, villages, and religious places etc carrying fresh water. There is considerable waste i.e. industrial and some of the modern agricultural waste available on surrounding area of river allowing for possible widening of canals/drains at a later stage,For getting the sustainable use of water resource from the river.
At present all the basin of river are encroached and occupied by local people for construction of dwelling houses, bathrooms, lavatories etc. thus releasing all human waste/effluents into water of river. The river basins are the open lavatories on the village nearby. For many of the villages and towns, the main outlets of drainage and sewage water are irrigation canals only. The irrigation canals which are passing nearby the villages and towns are the dumping yards for the human and animal wastes sewage etc. In some places, the agricultural waste, medical and surgical wastes, industrial wastes are dumped into Godavari River. By the time the water reaches the tail end, it is contaminated with the full of pollutants and waste.
The thousands of questions asked now are: 1) which is the basic reason responsible for it? 2) Which are the acts and rules are made to overcome these problems? 3. How is to be controlled?
There are many peoples encroached into the government protected land and biodiversity rich area which exploiting natural resources. The water (Prevention and control of pollution) Act, 1974 authorized central government to constitute The central pollution control Board” to exercise the powers conferred on and to perform the functions assigned to the board under the Act and Section-4 of the above Act, authorized the State government, to constitute State Boards.
If the river water is to be made, free from pollution, the encroachments on the either side of the river and river basins are to be evicted. All the sewage water freely flowing into the river is to be stopped. Public awareness is to be created among the people not to throw pollutants such as garbage, sewage waste, human and animal wastes etc. into the river It is a socio-economic problem; the State government must take effective measures.
‘the Rule of absolute Liability” developed from the rule of strict liability and awarded damages to the victims from Supreme Court in M.C. Mehta Vs. Union of India in Olium Gas Leakage case (AIR 1987, SC 1086) have evolved The wrong doers are to be punished under ‘absolute liability’ for which no defence is available. The same principle must be applied in case of offenders of water pollution, who ever may be.
II. POLLUTION OF FRESH WATER DUE TO DISORDERLY DEVELOPMENT OF AQUATIC LIFE:
Seafood has created a sensation in the world trade because of its health attitudes. It is the fastest moving commodity with persistent demand and high unit value. Seafood sector is growing into a multi billion dollar industry, with strong potential for the future.
Prawns are the largest contribution to Indian fishing exports, accounting for an export share of 22 in volume, 48 in value. Prawns exports have been growing steadily from India in the recent years, mainly due to increase in production from capture as well as from culture. The export of marine products from India amounted to 3500 crores in the year 1995-96 and it stood at 6400 crores in the year 2000-01. Sea food exports alone constitute about 3.14 of the gross export earnings of our country, which is a vital to the economy of India.
In view of the good return on prawn/fish culture, many of the irrigation lands under paddy cultivation are being converted into prawn/fish tanks, in Godavari Delta, including that of “Coastal Regulation Zone”. This indiscriminate conversion of paddy fields is causing water pollution, including imbalance in eco-system.
River water management is relatively new but fast emerging concept in the face of unprecedented degradation of aquatic ecosystems all over the country. A strategy can be adopted for protection and conservation of river water that includes a set of administrative measures complimented with steps to rehabilitate the ecosystem by implementing a number of biotechnological correctives. The current decline in the world’s biodiversity is largely the result of human activities, resulting in habitat destruction, over – harvesting, pollution and the inappropriate introduction of foreign plants and animals. Although the full consequences of this loss are unknown, there are nevertheless compelling scientific and ethical, as well as economic, reasons for conserving the many life forms on the Earth. Biological resources constitute a capital asset with great potential for yielding sustainable benefits, with new ways constantly being found in which they can contribute to sustainable development: for example, through new foods, pharmaceuticals and many other products. Urgent and decisive action is needed to conserve and maintain genes, species and ecosystem, with a view to the sustainable management and use of biological resources. Capacities for the assessment, study and systematic observation and evaluation of biodiversity need to be reinforced at national and international cooperation are required for the in situ protection of ecosystems, for the ex-situ conservation of biological and genetic resources and for the enhancement of ecosystemic functions. The participation and support of local communities are essential to the success of such an approach. The method of irrigation adopted in Godavari Delta is by ‘flooding method’ mainly of ’strip border method”. In this the irrigable land is levelled and divided into suitable size ablong plots by 0.30 mt. high field lands into a number of long and narrow strips. Water is allowed at the head or upper end of each strip and it flows along the strip in the form of a thin 5 to 7.5 cm stretch of water to the lower end of the strip.
The drainage system is not pucca as that of canal system. With the result the drainage water from upper field will flood over the adjacent field to join to nearest drainage course.
Under this process of field to field irrigation, the drainage water of upper field will be input for lower field. This process of water utilization will not cause any effect so far as the entire field block is under cultivation. If some land is under prawn/fish culture, the drainage water of prawn/fish tanks will be input for irrigation land. The problem has been aggravated due to smaller plots of land holding by the in Godavari delta. Due to successive use of same water for different tanks, apart from change of physical and chemical properties. Ultimately the water gets polluted and will not be suitable for drinking purpose.
CONCLUSION
The present study shows that the interfere of peoples in relation with irrigation system with the use of river water is responsible for the contamination of fresh water which results into alteration of quality of water and affects on aquatic life.
The modern agriculture system and industrialization is mainly responsible for increase in pollution as well as the river basin in future may be responsible for flooding and other related issues.
It affects on the economy of India as well as on ecological balance of natural environment.
So there is need of effective management from government ,social ,and nongovernmental organizations and effective awareness in peoples.
It is a socio-economic problem. No Government can ill afford to loose the tremendous foreign exchange earnings out of sea food exports
The lands or areas surrounded by fisherman villages must be classified as zones for culture etc. The remodeling of the Irrigation system can be taken up by “Marine products Export Development Authority out of the funds available with them, by way of Export Cess. The river water is polluted, before it reaches the consumers in the villages for drinking purposes. Art. 21 of the constitution which guarantees Right to life. The Constitutional Review Committee while suggesting certain additions to Art. 21 (i.e. 21A to 21C) ignored to include “right to have a clean environment” under Art 21 therefore this may be incorporated as Art. 21 D. Thus making it as a fundamental Right.
Both central and state government and people in particular are responsible for the large scale pollution of river water. It is a violation of fundamental rights, guaranteed to the citizen. Then the judiciary must act upon, when the executive is inactive. It is obvious that “the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution Act 1974″ even though enacted as far back as 1974 could not yield concrete results, so far obviously.
If the constitutional rights of getting free water and air to be enforced to the citizens, still more stringent laws to be enacted. A statue which will give an immediate action will only serve the purpose.
The Water Act, 1974 and Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 may be amended which empower the pollution control Boards to take appropriate action instead of filing the cases in courts.
