Policy Update
Deepankshi Agnihotry
As another year passes, March 14th marks the International Day of River Restoration, a moment to reflect on the vital role rivers play in human civilization. For millennia, rivers have nurtured societies, economies, and ecosystems, yet their degradation continues at an alarming pace. Despite the global call for river restoration initiated in 1997 in Brazil, progress remains insufficient.
Rapid urbanization, globalization, and industrialization have severely impacted river ecosystems, draining them of life. According to the State of the World’s Rivers (IUCN, 2020), one-third of major rivers worldwide face severe pollution levels due to agricultural runoff, industrial effluents, and inadequate wastewater treatment. The consequences extend beyond environmental concerns, rivers are central to economic development, providing water for agriculture, supporting hydropower and navigation, and fostering tourism.
In 2024 alone, water-related disasters led to over 8,700 fatalities, displaced 40 million people, and caused economic losses exceeding $550 billion globally. Events such as riverine floods, flash floods, and droughts have highlighted the urgent need for stronger water governance and policy interventions to protect and restore river ecosystems.
The theme “Our Rivers, Our Future” underscores that river restoration is not just about the future, it is about securing our past and present as well. With rivers containing just 0.006% of the Earth’s freshwater, they are indispensable for sustaining life. Yet, rising pollution levels, climate change, and unsustainable development practices continue to push them toward collapse.
Challenges Facing River Ecosystems
Despite their critical importance, rivers worldwide face numerous challenges that threaten their health and sustainability. The major contributors to river degradation include agricultural pollution, untreated wastewater discharge, industrial effluents, and climate change-related impacts.
1. Agricultural Pollution
Agriculture,which ensures food security and sustains civilizations, is one of the primary sources of river pollution. According to a report published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), agriculture accounts for 70% of global freshwater withdrawals and is a major contributor to water pollution. Farms discharge significant amounts of agrochemicals, organic matter, drug residues, sediments, and saline drainage into water bodies, leading to eutrophication and loss of aquatic biodiversity.
2. Untreated Municipal and Industrial Wastewater
Source –Untreated waste
The discharge of untreated municipal and industrial waste significantly alters river ecosystems, increasing biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and fecal contamination. Population growth exacerbates the situation, as the increasing demand for freshwater leads to a rise in wastewater generation. According to United Nations data, the global population is increasing by 83 million people annually (1% per year), further straining wastewater management systems.
Industrial wastewater disposal introduces toxic chemicals, heavy metals, and fluoride contamination, which have been observed in northwestern India’s aquifers, particularly in Rajasthan and Gujarat, where alluvial aquifers dominate. The WASH Report (2021) highlights that 15% of India’s population lacks access to sanitation facilities, leading to open defecation and direct contamination of water bodies. In India, approximately 4,000 septic tank trucks full of sewage sludge are dumped daily into the Ganges River and its tributaries, with each truck carrying an average of 5,000 liters of human waste.
The Yamuna River in Delhi, a tributary of the Ganges, is one of India’s most polluted rivers, heavily affected by eutrophication and industrial discharge. Monsoon seasons further intensify pollution, causing mass fish mortality due to increased pesticide and chemical concentrations. Delhi’s poor sewage treatment infrastructure contributes significantly to this crisis, with 19 drainage channels discharging untreated sewage into the Yamuna. Industrial zones along the river, 22 in Haryana, 42 in Delhi, and 17 in Uttar Pradesh, dump toxic effluents directly into the water. Delhi’s factories alone account for 80% of the Yamuna’s pollution.
3. Climate Change and Air Pollution
Climate change and air pollution further degrade river water quality. Airborne pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide react with oxygen and moisture in the atmosphere, leading to acid rain formation. Acid rain leaches aluminum and other toxic elements from soil into rivers and lakes, disrupting aquatic ecosystems. Rising global temperatures also contribute to reduced river flow, altered precipitation patterns, and increased evaporation, worsening water scarcity.
Additionally, the failure to manage wastewater efficiently worsens river pollution. Poorly managed wastewater treatment is often the result of lack of reliable energy supply, inadequate budgetary allocations, outdated treatment infrastructure, and a mismatch between urbanization rates and wastewater management resources. Without urgent intervention, these factors will continue to deplete freshwater reserves, threatening both human well-being and biodiversity.
Major Initiatives for River Rejuvenation
To replenish and restore river systems, both national and international initiatives have been implemented with a focus on sewage treatment, river cleaning, biodiversity conservation, public awareness, and sustainable water management. In India, a budgetary outlay of ₹22,500 crore (2023–2026) has been allocated to Namami Gange Intivative for establishing and upgrading sewage treatment plants, preventing untreated wastewater from entering rivers, deploying river surface cleaning techniques, conserving biodiversity, and engaging communities through public awareness campaigns. The Ministry of Jal Shakti oversees these rejuvenation programs, providing assistance to states and union territories for effective river restoration. A key focus is the rejuvenation of the Ganges River, ensuring “Aviral Dhara” (Continuous Flow), “Nirmal Dhara” (Unpolluted Flow), and maintaining its geological and ecological integrity.
Source-Namami Gange Programme
Additionally, initiatives such as Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), with components like “Har Khet Ko Pani” and “Per Drop More Crop”, emphasize efficient irrigation and optimal water resource utilization. The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 promotes a circular economy of water by developing City Water Balance Plans (CWBP), focusing on recycling and reusing treated sewage, rejuvenating water bodies, and ensuring universal access to clean water.
One of the successful case studies in India is the revival of the Kham River in Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad), which became the first seasonal river in India to have an urban river management plan through the River City Alliance. This initiative highlights the importance of community participation and city-led governance with a multi-pronged approach to river restoration.
Source-Kham river Restoration
At the international level, several pioneering initiatives have been undertaken. El Salvador implemented a debt buyback program in 2024, redirecting over $1 billion in savings towards the conservation and restoration of the Lempa River watershed, which supplies two-thirds of the nation’s water. This initiative tackles issues such as pollution, biodiversity loss, and water scarcity. Paris invested $2.3 billion in cleaning the Seine River to make it swimmable for the 2024 Olympics, marking the first time in over a century such a goal has been achieved. This serves as a model for other cities like Brisbane, which is planning similar efforts for the 2032 Olympics.
In Pakistan, the Living Indus Initiative, launched following the devastating 2022 climate change-induced floods, was approved by Pakistan’s Parliament and officially introduced at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh. The initiative aims to restore 25 million hectares of the Indus River Basin by 2030, covering 30% of Pakistan’s surface area through 25 high-impact interventions for policymakers, practitioners, and civil society.
These national and international efforts demonstrate the significance of multi-stakeholder collaboration, policy-driven interventions, and community participation in restoring and securing the future of river ecosystems.
Way Forward
Despite ongoing efforts, further actions are required to ensure effective and long-term river restoration. The success of these initiatives hinges on the restoration of the entire ecosystem rather than just the river itself. Sustainable development and conservation must go hand in hand, with action plans tailored to specific river conditions. Since pollution is often concentrated in certain hotspots rather than spread throughout the river, regular monitoring of these zones is essential. Local governments must play a critical role in ensuring that industries situated near these pollution hotspots do not discharge untreated wastewater, enforcing strict regulations and proportionate penalties for violations.
1. Strengthening Water Quality Assessment and Infrastructure Development
Continuous long-term monitoring of water quality is necessary to identify segments of rivers that fail to meet water quality criteria and require urgent intervention. Research indicates that wastewater flows have made some rivers perennial, emphasizing the need for better wastewater management infrastructure such as Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs), and Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs). To enhance non-monsoon water availability, a structured approach to watershed management should be adopted, comprising the following four phases:
- Recognition Phase: Identifying polluted and degraded areas requiring intervention.
- Restoration Phase: Implementing conservation and treatment methods to revive river health.
- Protection Phase: Enforcing environmental laws and ensuring industries follow compliance measures.
- Improvement Phase: Enhancing existing initiatives through innovation and adaptive strategies.
2. Industrial Water Conservation and Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD)
Efforts by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to reduce industrial water demand through ZLD (Zero Liquid Discharge) and water conservation techniques have shown promising results. In the Ganga Basin, 35 distilleries have achieved ZLD, and the paper & pulp industry has reduced water consumption by 30%. Similarly, in the sugar industry, steps have been taken to minimize water discharge, reducing water consumption to 220 liters per ton of cane crushed. These measures should be expanded and enforced across other river basins.
3. Holistic Watershed Restoration and Community-Led Initiatives
River restoration cannot be limited to just cleaning the water bodies—it requires reviving the entire watershed area. A notable example is the Hindon River, one of the most polluted rivers under the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme. Under the “My Hindon – My Initiative” campaign, efforts such as reconnaissance surveys, cleanup drives, plantation efforts, and restoration activities have been undertaken from the river’s origin in the Shivalik foothills to its confluence with the Yamuna River. Similar community-led projects should be replicated nationwide to ensure effective river rejuvenation.
Source-Hindon river
4. Investment in Advanced River Treatment Technologies
The government must invest in advanced river treatment technologies and deploy them based on the specific needs of different regions. Innovations such as bio-remediation, constructed wetlands, and decentralized wastewater treatment should be integrated into restoration plans. International best practices, such as Paris’s use of ultra-modern filtration and aeration systems in the Seine River cleanup, can provide valuable insights for India.
5. Leveraging Traditional Knowledge and Public Participation
One of the most crucial but often overlooked aspects of river rejuvenation is the integration of traditional ecological knowledge and community participation in decision-making. In Benin, for example, traditional beliefs have played a vital role in environmental conservation—local communities have used voodoo deities to protect mangrove ecosystems, which are essential for river health.
In India, while Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) mandate local people’s involvement, public participation often remains low due to a lack of awareness and the influence of vested interests in decision-making. To ensure genuine community involvement, the government must:
- Conduct awareness programs to educate people about their rights in environmental decision-making.
- Strengthen local governance and ensure that people’s voices are heard and incorporated into river restoration projects.
- Encourage community-led monitoring initiatives to track pollution levels and report violations.
Conclusion
The UN has designated 2021–2030 as the Decade for Ecosystem Restoration, recognizing the critical role of water in sustaining life. The M.C. Mehta case laid the foundation for environmental jurisprudence in India through the Precautionary Principle and Polluter Pays Principle. Uttarakhand took a pioneering step by granting rivers legal personhood, reinforcing their intrinsic rights. However, river rejuvenation is not solely the government’s responsibility—each individual must actively contribute.
As the theme “Our River, Our Future” calls for collective action, it urges everyone to take responsibility for preserving our water bodies. By adopting a Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) and integrating principles like Aparigraha (non-possessiveness), we can reduce our ecological footprint and foster a harmonious relationship with nature. As ancient wisdom reminds us, “प्रकृति रक्षति रक्षिता”, Nature protects those who protect it. It is our fundamental duty to protect and improve the natural environment alongside demanding our fundamental right to a healthy environment.
References
- Associated Press (AP). (2024). El Salvador river conservation debt deal. https://apnews.com
- Care Our Earth. (n.d.). International Day of Action for Rivers. https://www.careourearth.com
- Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). (n.d.). Restoration of polluted river stretches. https://cpcb.nic.in
- Down to Earth. (2018). Why Ganga will not be clean by 2020. https://www.downtoearth.org.in
- Down to Earth. (2024). UN-recognized conservation initiatives. https://www.downtoearth.org.in
- Geeks for Geeks. (n.d.). River rejuvenation projects in India. https://www.geeksforgeeks.org
- Hindon River Revival Program. (n.d.). Efforts to restore Hindon River. https://rivermanofindia.in
- Hindustan Times. (2024). International Day of Action for Rivers 2024. https://www.hindustantimes.com
- Le Monde. (2024). Benin’s voodoo deities and mangrove conservation. https://www.lemonde.fr
- Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India. (n.d.). Schemes and programs. https://jalshakti-dowr.gov.in
- National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG). (n.d.). Namami Gange. https://nmcg.nic.in
- Press Information Bureau (PIB). (n.d.). Namami Gange Programme overview. https://www.pib.gov.in
- The Hindu. (2024). Paris River Seine cleanup for Olympics. https://www.thehindu.com
- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). (n.d.). Restoring India’s holiest river. https://www.unep.org
- UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. (n.d.). Global restoration efforts. https://www.decadeonrestoration.org
- World Bank. (2015). National Ganga River Basin Project. https://www.worldbank.org
- World Resources Institute (WRI). (n.d.). Kham River restoration project. https://www.wri.org
- World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) India. (n.d.). Rivers for Life, Life for Rivers. https://www.wwfindia.org
- World Wildlife Fund (WWF). (n.d.). Connected rivers of resilience. https://www.worldwildlife.org
About The Contributor: Deepankshi Agnihotry is a research intern at IMPRI and holds a postgraduate degree in Electronics, is curious and passionate about sustainability and impactful policy solutions.
Acknowledgement: The author would like to express sincere gratitude to Dr.Vaishali Singh, Aasthaba Jadeja and the IMPRI team for giving the opportunity for writing the article.
Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
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