The river Yangtze's woes

The Financial Times reports that China’s “Three Gorges” Project hailed in 2003 as an engineering marvel has gone woefully bad, and has ruined the ecosystem of China’s largest river into a nightmare.

The report goes on to say that even top-notch Chinese government officials are beginning to see the need for action.

Displaced populations, degraded ecosystems, pollued rivers……sounds familiar?

The World Bank took a lot of flak over its Narmada River project in India and also contributed to turning Booker-award wining author, Arundhati Roy into an environmental activist.

The woes of the Yangtze strike a personal chord for me.

The Ganges (or the Ganga as we refer to it in India), has for aeons been fundamental to Hindu mythology.

Hindus turn up in millions at the “Sangam” in Allahabad to purify themselves in the sacred river.

The river symbolizes purity, eternity and composed coolness.

The Ganga symbolically pours forth from the matted tresses of the god Shiva who destroys evil by opening his lethal third eye.

On November 9, Hindus all over the world celebrate the festival of Deepawali – the festival of lights.

In my community (I am a Tamilian), we greet one another on Deepawali morning by asking whether we’ve bathed in the Ganga.

It might have been worth it once upon a time. Today, the river is one of the most polluted systems in India.

The Ganga is still considered sacred and devout Hindus still flock to her banks…………..