Indian Rivers Are the Most Endangered

Bangalore: Normally the term ‘endangered’ brings to mind images of birds and animals. But, shockingly the most endangered species in India are not the flora or fauna but the rivers.

Indian rivers are at a high threat of pollution, deforestation, encroachment and corporate practices, reported IBN Live. The enormous construction of dams and hydro-electric projects on the banks of the rivers have led to dangerous outcomes for not just the biodiversity-rich rivers, but also the aquatic life and the people who are dependent on these rivers for their living.

Himanshu Thakkar from South Asian Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) said “Even after building so many dams, nationally, there has been no increase in the net irrigation area. The government of India conducted a survey and an estimated 17.71 million hectares has been calculated as the net irrigated area in 2010. Since then, there has been no increase in this figure,” as reported by IBN Live. He also added that about 35-40 percent of power was lost in transmission of energy.

Himanshu also said the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) through its Clean Development Mechanism offered carbon credits to projects in developing countries. He said “It is promoting something that is against conservation of biodiversity in some areas,” as reported by IBN Live.