Address by Ravi Singh at India Rivers Week, 2014
Channel: IndiaWater Portal
Date: 2015-01-04

Ravi Singh, WWF in his welcome address noted that “this is the first conclave to enable learning and promote river restoration skills and actions from sharing and exchange of ideas, experiences and practices”. He said that “there has been 76 per cent reduction in aquatic biodiversity over the years from 1976. That figure is higher than the loss of terrestrial or marine biodiversity, showing the crisis rivers are facing and we need to act fast to address this crisis”. “There is a stress on river systems globally. Barring two-three rivers in peninsular India, most rivers have alarming values of pollution load and toxic metal” “, added Ravi Singh in his opening remarks.
Lack of true understanding and appreciation – amongst planners, decision makers, various government departments as well as the common man – of rivers as ecological systems that provide a number of ecological and economic services is a major reason for the sorry state of our rivers. No wonder, there exists no national policy or law that could provide our rivers security from death, degradation and unsustainable and unfair exploitation.