GANGA 59th Issue | Page 4

becomes disastrous. The authorities need to be more vigilant and take action to stop this menace. A luxurious hotel is being constructed on the river bed of Rupnarayan near Orphali in Bagnan P.S. On the other hand, in Ajamgachi Mouza in Jaypur P.S. from the river bed of Mundeswari, series of sand picking is in process and being loaded in heavy dumpers and moving over the weak Picture from Thirsting for a Future report river bridge near Bakshi. Further in the same way from the river bed of Rupnarayan sand The following facts highlighted from the picking is continuing just like a workshop UNICEF & WHO Report on Progress on basis near Naopala – no prohibitory order Sanitation and Drinking Water: 2015 from the Sate Govt. and no legal restriction 1) 663 million people do not have access to safe water. from the State Govt. has yet been issued. Authorities of the State Govt., when 2) 2.6 billion people have gained questioned, told the media – many open cast access to improved water since querries for sand picking have been stopped 1990. – rest will be done gradually. Rupnarayan and Mundeswari rivers (Source: Bartaman, 12.12.2016) are facing Man-made disasters Construction of Hotels and picnic resorts on the flood plain and illegal sands mining from river beds of Rupnarayan and Mundeswari are causing great damage to the river flow and riparian ecosystem, which in turn affecting the local populace in respect of their livelihood and properties. The intensity of these sand mining from the river beds are so often and so intense that the bank erosion hazards with the advancement of the rivers during peak monsoon period RIVERS OF INDIA Narmada the daughter of Lord Shiva Narmada Banchao Andolan Part-13 The controversy over large dams on River Narmada has begun a new era in Indian development paradigm. In India there are over 5,000 large dams, which makes India ranking third globally in numbers of completed large dams. But in terms of water conservation, per capita water storage 4 Integrated River Basin Management Society