Rajat Banerji | October, 2002

Activists had a chance to ensure a pollution-free Betwa River. Regrettably, that didn't happen

	Betwa River: A toxic brew

When the head of the pollution control agency is arrested for "aiding in the cause of industries of polluting a river", you just know that things are bad. The setting: the state of Madhya Pradesh. The agency: Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board. The river: Betwa.

The Betwa is a tributary of the Yamuna, which, in turn is a tributary of the Ganga. It joins River Yamuna downstream from Hamirpur.

Like most Indian rivers, the Betwa is invested with religious overtones. Ancient cities such as Vidisha and temples dot the banks. In fact, one district along the banks of the river is called Sehatganj. Roughly translated, it's a place that contributes to human health. Just one hour's drive from Bhopal, the local inhabitants say the water is the key factor.

But the health of the very river that lent its name to the region has been under a cloud for over a decade.

Birth pangs
When following up on a toxic-export case, Greenpeace found traces of lead and cadmium at one of Bhopal's industrial estates. "Some of these traces were in the Betwa as well," says Abdul Jabbar, convenor of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan that fights for the rights of the Bhopal gas tragedy victims.

A chemical study carried out by students of a local university on the effects of industrial effluents on surface and groundwater quality surrounding the Mandideep industrial estate indicated that nitrate content was higher than the acceptable limits. Some 200,000 people living downstream rely on the river for their drinking water.

The Betwa originates at the famed lakes of Bhopal. But even as the river comes to life, the effluents from Mandideep join it. Some 30 km downstream, the effluents from Som Distilleries are added to the toxic brew. Another 20 km downstream lies the city of Vidisha, which traditionally depended on the Betwa for its water supplies.

Not much water anywhere, even less to drink
Most people in Madhya Pradesh are farmers; and some 80% of total rainfall yearly occurs during the monsoon season (June to September).

"In such a situation, it is only logical that all available water resources be protected," states Dr K.D. Mishra, of SSLJ College, Vidisha. Mishra formed a core group of citizens who raised their voices when their source of water supplies, the Betwa, became severely polluted by the upstream industries.

That was in 1996. Algal blooms had rendered the Betwa's water unfit for human consumption. Investigations revealed that an upstream distillery was the culprit: the rains had washed the organically rich distillery wastes into the river. This, in turn, had led to algal blooms.

It was ironic, to say the least. Most of the year, Betwa was practically dry. And even when there was water, the citizens could not drink it. So they united under a common banner and took the issue to the state legislature.

"But instead of tackling the source of the problem - pollution - the state machinery simply brought clean water to Vidisha via a new pipeline, from a irrigation canal," says Mishra. The people had clean water, so the polluter could carry on doing his bit.

Business as usual
When V. K. Jain, chairman of the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB), was arrested in February this year, the lie was exposed. The board had been issuing no - objection certificates to several polluting industries, including distilleries, in violation of norms. Jain is alleged to own palatial houses in Bhopal and Indore, two apartments in Mumbai and properties in Jabalpur and other places.

Speaking to www.cleanganga.com in September 2002, Dhiraj Shah, who was part of Vidisha's core group against pollution, says they regret not having pursued the case in 1996-97. "We should not have let up pressure after we had been given an alternative source of water supplies," he says ruefully.

This group now realizes they had the power to make a lasting difference. "Who knows," says Shah, "the Betwa may have been rid of all pollution, had we refused the alternative source of water. Then, perhaps the government would have had to ensure that there would no one would be allowed to pollute our source of water."

Rajat Banerji is managing editor of www.cleanganga.com