Question

Impact of climate change on coastal environment and infrastructure

Answer 1

The way industrial development is proceeding, it may one day prove to be an industrial nightmare. Its impact on two of our sacred rivers, the Ganga and Yamuna, has been nothing short of a catastrophy. From the point the Ganga enters the plains to its terminal point to the sea, it presents a picture of utter pollution. This is accentuated by the flow of effluents from drains and pipes into the sacred river from the wilderness of urban cities and towns that are located on both sides of this holy river. The magnitude of this pollution can be judged by the fact that Operation Clean Up Ganga has cost the Government hundreds of crores of rupees. The condition of the river Yam una is equally parious. It is now an ailing and sick river and its water is heavily polluted by all manner of effluents with ferrous and other odours and smells of growing industrial establishments. So far no plan fias been devised to clean up the Yamuna, but should such a plan be engineered, the cost is likely to run into hundreds of crores of rupees. That would be a tragic reflection on condition to which we have reduced our rivers which collapsed, wilted, and have virtually withered away.