interview2019 
#SAVE GANGA TO SAVE INDIA
The Ganges (Ganga) river is a scared body of water to Hindus that begins high in the Himalaya Mountains and empties out into the Bay of Bengal. The surrounding river basin has a population of more than four hundred million people.
How important is Ganga? Does science prove Ganga water is holy? What happens when Ganga dies? Let’s find out!
This river is 2,704 km long, making it the longest river in India. Since the early dawn of Indian culture, we have known that Ganga water is pure literally and figuratively. But did you know the science behind it?
The mysterious healing power of the Ganges water or “BrahmDravya” has been proven to have the healing touch and self-purifying properties. Bacteriophages, the viruses that eat bacteria, were found in the water of Ganga. These viruses can be used in phase therapy, a natural alternative to antibiotics.
The water of Ganga has also shown to retain high amounts of dissolved oxygen, despite the pollution. This is the reason that even the polluted Ganga water is still being considered holy.
Microbiologists from the Chandigarh-based Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH) studied that bacteria in the Ganges are non-putrefying which means they do not decompose the waste that is thrown in the river.
This natural phenomenon made this water the purest to drink. To such an extent if you take this water, and mix it with the water at home it will purify it.
Today with the ever-increasing population, tons of industrial waste, and countless plastic we are killing the river much faster than it heals itself.
In less than 30 years Ganga’s flow will be half of what it is today and the population will be thrice. Did you know 1/3 of India’s population is fed by the crops irrigated by this water? There are 30 cities 70 towns and 1000 villages near Ganga’s banks. What happens to these people, if the Ganga’s condition will be as similar to what the Yamuna is today?
We Indians have a strange way of showing our respect to the things we worship. In the name of devotion, we clean our feet, dispose of ashes, and run mechanized boats in the same water that we regard as the purest to drink.
Good governance alone can’t solve the issue. We need to be a crowd that willingly implements the change. Ganga is the goddess of forgiveness, but how long are we going to test her patience?
Article Written By Somanath Sahu
Image Source: Google
