Agony of Ganga: Loss of cultural Heritage

The River Ganga:
Retrospect & Prospect

NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON AGONY OF THE GANGA
(14th & 15th July 2012)
India International Centre, New Delhi

Presented by: Rakesh Mishra
Based on The Holy Ganga

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Descent of Goddess Ganga on the Holy Land
The story is told for generations that describe the Kapila, Sagar, his grand son Anshuman,
Dileep and Bhagiratha, one after other performed austerity to bring the Ganga on the holy
land.
 The Mahabharata, the Ramayana along with Srimad Bhagwat
Purana, Padam Purana, Shiva Purana, Vayu Purana, Agni Purana, Skanda Purana, Matsya
Purana, Brahmanda Purana, etc. mention the story of the Bhagiratha.

 The story is shared by generations to inspire the younger one so that children learn the importance
of sacrifice. It teaches us the tradition of warfare, peace, non-violence and how to achieve great
causes. Many of the changes prevailed in the Indian society as a consequence of infiltrations from
foreign forces, but still the our heritage preserved till now. The Ganga interlude inspires us to
continue this this tradition in future.

Geomorphology
The authentic study of geomorphology and the stories of Indian scriptures of the Treta may
lead us to a conclusion that satisfies all major aspects associated with the issue.
 The orogeny of the great Himalayas is the result of tectonic uplift, when the Indian Plate
collided with the Eurasian Plate more than 50 million years ago.
 Then glacial ice began to accumulate in the regions elevated above the snowline. As thus,
huge body of ice formed on the hills by the compaction and re-crystallization of snow.
 The volcanic eruption is one of the theories for the formation of the Ganges. aciers One of
the reason.

The Ganga: the River Goddess

 The rivers are globally established as a divine identity
since ancient times. In the course of history, water has
inspired mankind both as mighty rivers and as a lifegiving
force, its spiritual importance is still prevalent all over the
world.
 The Marne river of France takes its name from Matrona, it is
associated with the divine mother, Dea Matrona. The ancient
name of the Thames river in England is Tamsea or Tamesis,
denoting a river deity. Traditional spiritual worship of water was
wiped out with the rise of Christianity since the council of Arles
held around AD 452,
 The river worship is a common ancient practice in India that
continues with great fervour. The Ganga is considered to be an
incarnation of Goddess Ganga. As thus the tradition of ritual and
worship emerged. Everyday you can see the sacred performance
on the banks of the river in Rishikesh, Hardwar, Kashi, Prayag,
Ganga Sagar, etc. It was said: The land where the Ganges does
not flow is likened in a hymn to the sky without the sun, a home
without a lamp, a Brahmin without the Vedas.
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The Ganga: Importance of the Holy River
She appeared to Arjuna when Lord Krishna said: I am the
wind among things that purify; I am
Rama among all warriors. I am shark among
all fishes and among all rivers I am Jahnavi.
It may be difficult to understand.

The Ganga and Ganga Putra are present in the
Mahabharata
Still there are pincushion for the Ganga Putra. It was
during the time of the Mahabharata. Our generation sees
Swami Sanand and Ganga Putra Nigamananda. We can
hope with the Panibaba & Ganga Putra Anand.

The Ganga and the Himalayan Shrines

 There are three main streams of the Ganga in the
Himalayas, which are known as Bhagirathi,
Alakananda and Mandakini. The headwaters of all
these rivers are the most sacred shrines of the Hindus.
 The holy shrine of Gangotri near the Indo-Tibet
border across a few villages—Nelong and Jadung—in
the Jadh watershed.
Among the shrubs of Jujube (Badri) the shrine of
Badrinath is cradled between the twin mountain ranges
of Nara and Narayana in the shadow of the
Neelakantha Peak.
The three major mountains—Bharatekunta, Kedar
Dome and Kedarnath forms an outstanding massif
called Kedar Massif. The holy shrine of Kedarnath is
by the banks of the Mandakini.

The Ganga: Sacred Names
The 1000 names are mentioned in 152 Puranic verses
 Every name is meaningful that signify one or the
other quality Ganga.
 Etymologically, the Sanskrit word ‘Ganga’ derived
from the etymological root ‘gam’ that means ‘to go’ that
refers to ‘swift-goer’.
 Alakananda, combination of ‘Alaka’ and ‘Ananda’
refers to ‘hair’ and ‘bliss’, respectively. It denotes that
the holy river enjoys flowing through the dreadlocks of
Lord Shiva. One that gives pleasure to those living in
Alkapuri is yet another meaning.
 Bhagirathi and Jahnavi refer to the daughter of the
king Bhagiratha and the sage Jahnu. In adition to that
there are many other names—Jagatmata, Mandakini,
Vishnupadi, Chhandgamini, Girimandalagamini,
Bahuksira, Ratnarchi, etc. Ratnarchi refers to wealth.

OIL
TO
WARS &

TO

AGRICULTURE

& RIVERS

RR F&A

How 150 Years of Greed, War, Bad Science (Dams, fertilizers and chemicals)
& arrogance destroying the
Human Civilization in world and in India.

Why Free market or
Globalisation?
 There are two ways to conquer and enslave a
nation. One is by sword… The other is by
debt.
……. John Adams 1826, United States President, Freedom Fighter who
fought British for American Independence

 “Trade is nerve center of economy and war is
necessary to protect the trade”
Louis XVI, The French King who laid the policy of trade for west.

We are nearly level of 3300000 Crores. Media Sources

We, before surrender to

East friends may consider the following facts a beautiful
Some of our
India Company!!
hypothesis…
 India was a FOOD BOWL of world with Diverse and balanced organically
grown crops.
 No chemical fertilizers, no pesticides, no genetically modified organisms
(GMOs)
 Rich Soil, soil fertility self replenishing
 Rivers were usual flowing with no dams, none occupied catchment area.
 Rains coming properly and seasonally (no climate disturbance)
 Self sufficient, environmentally intellegent, eco-friendly river delta
management of uncivilised barbarians aka Indians (as Winston Churchill
say)

Some “gentlemen” say “we
were better under British
control?”
 We progressed steadily In destruction of Agriculture and our
rivers since the occupation of British (lump-sum 150 -200
years) but with great speed when British left into such eco-
disastrous, river damaging community wiping agriculture
practises in just 60 years?
 Did we do this to ourselves deliberately consciously or under
pressure from world bank agri MNCs or public going mad?

Slavery to “Neo colonialism”
 After British gained a foot hold in India steadily started to
disturb, undermine and destroy the strength of India, its
people, their values, their cultural bonds and most important
the source of all the above Rivers.
 Agri (culture) & Cultural Anthropology & Behavioral
(Alluvial) Sociology
 The science of understanding flow of Rivers, Societies and
Conflicts.
 Both of these fields of knowledge study how the river flow
affects culture and wealth of communities thus sociological
relations among various sections of society.
 By understanding this thoroughly, the river flow can be
disturbed which directly effects changes among the social
order.

Alluvial Sociology as basis
of Ethno Genesis conflicts
By understanding this thoroughly, the river flow can be disturbed which directly effects
changes among the social order.
Stage I
 The civilization its development reaction response pattern basically depends on the
connectivity established with the river banks over which they evolved.
 If the River Flow is congenial to the commercial traffic all the way from the beginning of
the river to the merging with the sea homogeneous cultures and food habits develop. Nile,
US River based Indians, Western and Eastern Indian Civilizations are all examples of the
fact.
 If the river flow is violent and passes through mountain areas or thick jungles then totally
isolated communities develop with little interaction. Tribal societies along Euphrates,
Amazon. Brahmaputra etc are examples of this.
 It is imperative to understand these differences before conquering the territories-resources
and people.
 For example British bombed tribal resistance in Somalia or Iraq during 1900-1945, with No
nation wide response of larger mobilizations.

Agenda of Greed based
Bad science and Geopolitics
 First disturb deface and destroy (DDD)
 The science of blocking the flow of the rivers- Community
destruction, massive fertilizer pesticide consumption, poverty
creation, water wars, national state conflicts and food dependency
became a norm in liberalized and privatized world.
 This became a official hidden doctrinal basis of the redrawing the
geography and re colonization of the territories of Asia and Africa and
of course India post WW 2 in the form of Liberalization and
Privatization.

Stage II - Engineering social
shifts.
 By blocking or damming uninterrupted river flow the homogeneity and continuity of populations
can be broken, thus inducing mobility or changing the occupational habits and cultural values
including food habits vertically urbanization.
 Alluvial flow of the rivers is the one that grinds the minerals soils medicinal curst layers by rain
waters that fall on forests and mountain tops and nourishes soil when river flow comes down
stream.
 These fertile lands does not need any other artificial fertilizers.
 But once they are dammed or course is altered then the fertile sediments will get struck at the
base of dams and year by year thus reduce the available flow of water and rich mineralization of
and rejuvenation of soil and alters moisture contents in the down stream.
 The low lands will starve of nourishments and the cynical cycle of artificial Fertilizer utilization
increases but will definitely fail crops in the long run as the farmers will loose for the corporate
game of ever increasing fertilizer costs and will be forced to abandon and move in to
urbanization.
 This reduces Land cultivated and makes groups and nations depend on MNCs for food production
and in the last decade on seeds for cultivation.
 This loss of soil fertility and reduced water flow happened when Aswan high dam was built.
Finally Egypt has created Nile Dredging Corporation to transport the sediment to the low lands as
fertilizer and now many third world countries thinking to un dam the rivers like Brazil.

Second dangerous process of
damming rivers
 disease generation at the dam sites where with stored stagnant water
mosquito colonies increase.
 Also during the entire course of river down stream to dams (which now
with dams looks like disconnected ponds or lakes or pools of muddy
water) the same phenomenon occurs increasing the mosquito prone
diseases in the entire populations along the river.
 These are like dengue, malaria, swine flu, encephalitis. It is reported
about 50% people are suffering water born desease along the river
Ganga.
 The land starves with out fertilizers and placer minerals making the
farming community depend on artificial fertilizers pesticides controlled
by war MNCs graduation in to post war scenario –alternate use of
chemicals of war as fertilizers.
 In Hyderabad alone the mosquito containment costs are close to Rs 100
crores diverting valuable public funds for uncalled for diseases
benefitting again medical MNCs.

Stage III
Minionism or Re- constructionism
 Minionism or Re-constructionism is a process by which, within an ethnic
group, using either sub-ethnicity (in case of India caste and sub cast) religion
or language homogeneity (or all of them) to achieve political ends that suits
either local national political ends or International players resource
strategies. This is more applicable in post world war scenario where the
colonies became independent and want to pursue their own economic
political goals.
 If Language is used as basis of minionism it is Linguistic Re-
constructionism –
 2 Languages 2 Religions ONE country LTTE Sinhala rift here religion is used
as catalyst
 1 Language ONE country Different religions- Iraq- Shia Sunni Kurd all
speak Arabic but religion is used as catalyst East Timor, Indonesia-Same
language Christian Muslim rift was used as catalyst.
 1 Language One Country One Religion-Korea North and South Divide here
economic ideology was used as catalyst

Re-constructionism in India
 If Religion is used as basis of minionism then it is called Religious Re-
constructionism
 Shia Sunny fights in Iraq (Islamic Re- constructionism)
 If ethnicity is used as basis it is Ethno Linguist Re-constructionism
 Somali Sudan Ehiopia Tribal Fights Ethno Religious-Linguistic Re-
constructionism
 If Economic Ideology is used as basis of minionism it is called ideological
Re – Constructionism.
 Bolshivik, Communist, Soviet, Mao Thought, Naxalism, Marxism,
Leninism.
 The weakest in all the above major re-constructionisms is the process
based on Economic Ideology.
 The post-independence basis of the various re-constructionisms in
India might have stemmed from either genuine or assumed concerns.
But the wrong labeling or wrong handling them lead to a greater
danger of Disintegration and political instability.

RIVERS the SOURCE OF WEALTH
 Interestingly people are what they eat daily ?
 What they eat daily is the realm of agriculture. The extent of the agriculture depends
on the un obstructed river flows and that is why all civilizations developed along with
flow of the rivers.
 Rivers are used for three purposes water (drinking and agrarian) transportation
(upstream to down stream travel) river eco-system commerce and of lately for
electricity generation.
 Commerce is two types what is produced in the river (fish, shrimp algae etc) what is
brought by the river (rare earth metals, gold, diamonds, sedimentation containing
trace or placer deposits of every known mineral useful as natural fertilizer for crops.
 These above three are the common bonds for all those living along the river side from
the beginning of the rivers to the delta where they merge with the sea.

Rivers : Source of gold and
diamonds
 Only those rivers bring diamonds or gold which are formed on the
sedimentation of volcanic eruptions lava flows. The soil they haul is
called alluvial soil. Rivers in North South America Africa and India are
capable of such things.
 Europeans first observed this rivers as carriers of rare metals and
diamonds after their contact with Africa. This was the beginning of
the Great Gold Rush (read as Gold Loot) that resulted in the
destruction of Africa.
 The same Rush was exhibited in Americas, Spanish Gold Rush to
south America, California Gold Rush, Texas Gold Rush, Great
Canadian Gold rush all resulted in the large Human Depopulation
ecological disasters for Gold and other metals that rivers bring.

Rivers : Source of diamonds
and rare earth materials
 Till this point all knew gold is gold and diamonds are
diamonds-ornamental significance. So who ever found
them were the keepers of them or sellers of them.
 The rivers were bringing fresh diamonds gold particles
along with water and fish and all are happy. In fact the
rivers need to flow properly otherwise the gold and
diamonds cannot be mined. All this situation changed
with the discoveries of uses of Diamonds and Gold.
 Along with jewellary and ornamental applications
Diamond are a very important in warfare and other
strategic application!!

Inter War Years 1919- 1939 and 1945 – 1965

Winners USA has war time profits and losers Germans produced
Eminent scientists chemists etc.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MODEL
OIL CHEMICALS PESTICIDES EXPLOSIVES GUNS

War Time Profits – Free Money
to
BAN K S
Loan to

P RO F IT S
Chemical Companies Agricultural
Pesticide Companies Mechanization Companies

HU G E
Offered Credit Facilities offered credit facilities
Government Subsidies Government Subsidies
To Farmers to Farmers

Increased Consumption of Pests Fertilizers Exponentially

Inter War Years 1919- 1939 and 1945 – 1965

Plants Weakened
Attracted More Bugs and Pests and Pesticide Resistant Bugs

More Chemicals Needed with CHLORINE DERIVATIVES

Chlodane
Heptachlor
Dieldrin
Aldrin
ENDRINE - The leading Cause of Suicide in India

Organic Phosphates

Parathion & Malathion

1945 – 1968

1945 Post war 18 American Ammonia Making Giant Chemical Companies
were forced to find alternative Uses of Ammonia Flourine etc
Leading among them are

Du Pont, Dow Chemicals, Monsanto, American Cyanamide, IG Farben etc

All Chemicals dumped on Farms and Flourine in water cleaning

Europe USA
Dumped on

AFRICA LATIN AMERICA & USA

Resistance mounted from 1919 for chemical usage in Agriculture in USA and Europe

After comprehensive study from 1948 to 1968 Italian Scientist Amerigo Mosca winner of
Chemistry Prize in Brussels world Science fair

Proved beyond doubt in 1975 in his report to ITALIAN GOVERNMENT that

Farm Chemicals are Radiomimetic (imitates radio active materials) Effects are similar to
Radiation. (these include fungicides of organic synthesis like Zineb, Captan, Phaltan etc.)

All Chemicals dumped on Africa are equivalent to

29 H Bombs of 14 M.Tons
14500 A Bombs of Hiroshima Type

By 1970 USA produced
453 000 Tons of Chemicals equivalent to
145 H Bombs of 14 M.Tons
72 000 A Bombs of Hiroshima Type
From 1945 to 1975 Mentally Retarded Children in Live Births increased 15%
30% sperm count down in productive males
(because of chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticidies like RCB DDT)
25% of the male college students Sterile
This report was classified by Italian and US governments at the request of
ITALIAN CHEMIAL FERTILIZER GIANT MONTEDISON
Glossed off and forgotten.

RESISTENCE &COUNTER RESEARCH
INDIA 1914 – 1945

SIR ALBERT HOWARD
Imperial Chemist Botanist, Government of British Raj, Pusa Agri Facility
Author of
The Soil and Health

Conducted Research in to the comparison of Chemical Fertilizer Farms
versus Organic Bio Fertilizer Vermi compost Farms

Organic Food Vs Chemical Fertilizer Food
Cattle fed on are resistant for Hoof and Mouth Disease & Mad Cow & other infections
Cattle fed on Ammonia/Sulphate break out of disease

(Even today Ongole Bull Semen is smuggled to US Brazil)

Organic Food brings Immunity to
Parasitic Activity
Degenerative Disease Immunity
Preventive of occurring diseases
Creative of New energies

Chemicals leave imperfectly synthesized protein in leaver causing all diseases.

CONCLUDED IN 1945 CHEMICALS WERE WASTE OF MONEY.

All Chemicals Fertilizers Fungicides

1948-1968
Europe USA
Dumped on

AFRICA LATIN AMERICA & USA

When Awareness raised and Latin America and Africa Resisted

Then

They Dumped Every thing on

INDIA
Between 1968 - 1975 (Green Revolution)

Indian Scenario 1900 – 1968
Chemical Fertilizer Consumption

until 1968 1978-79

3.5 kilos per hectare (1 ½ Acres) 50 kilos per hectare

Country Consumption 1.1 Million tons 50 MillionTons

REASONS
World Bank applied pressure to allow
STANDARD OIL OF CALIFORNIA its subsidiary
INTERNATIONAL MINERALS AND CHEMICALS
Forced Government to back farm credit, give loans to farmers, subsidize chemicals

Rather than war Profits Public Tax Money Was siphoned for paying
International fertilizer companies.
From then no turning back. What was rejected in Europe USA and Africa was
Dumped on unsuspecting Indians.

Dams: Economics of borrowing
and technology purchase
 Big dams are prone to cost overruns: as much as 30% on average, calculates Mc Cully.
 The costs of resettling people are not fully accounted for. Because dams do not last that
long, say greens, it is wrong to treat such energy as renewable.
 By design, dams alter the natural flow regime, and with it virtually every aspect of a river
ecosystem, including water quality, sediment transport and deposition, fish migrations and
reproduction, and riparian and floodplain habitat and the organisms that rely on this
habitat.
 Dams also require ongoing maintenance. For example, reservoirs in sediment-laden
streams lose storage capacity as silt accumulates in the reservoir. In arid climates reservoirs
also experience a high rate of water loss to evaporation.
 significant economic impacts on dam owners (private owners of governments,
 In India we have to borrow from world bank to maintain dams) the surrounding community
and society in general.
 As dams age, maintenance costs and safety hazards often increase, resulting in an
increasing financial burden and liability on the dam owner.
 Depending on the river and the fisheries being impacted by the dam, an owner may also be
required to retrofit the structure with fish passage facilities or make other upgrades to
comply with water quality standards.

 When dams diminish fisheries, communities can lose jobs and sustenance, or the source of their
cultural or spiritual life. This is the greatest realization on the part of Americans that Rivers and
agri (Culture) goes hand in hand. However, as society has come to understand, dams can cause
significant social and environmental impacts that outweigh the benefits they provide
 “The consensus among river ecologists is that dams are the single greatest cause of the decline of
river ecosystems”
 World Commission on Dams. Dams and Development: A New Framework for Decision-Making.
Cape Town, 2000.
 Because of these and other concerns, some dam owners and managers or governments are
finding that it makes more sense to remove certain dams, often benefiting the community
ecologically and socially, rather than make costly repairs or upgrades.
 Also it was documented the River will come to life within 6 months removing all pollutants in it
that were done by humans taking them in to sea thus stabilizing them and the entire river eco
system will revert back to its original levels of before damming.
 Americans are the first to revert to Organic farming. Though their MNCs are pumping the world
with deadly industrial chemicals inside their country they created so much regulatory and activist
mechanism that prevented use of harm full chemicals in many areas that could end up in human
or agricultural consumption. (The politics of bottling companies MNCs to dominate control of
water in

 Power Generation
 Dams are built for power generation. US alone demonstrated by
increasing end user efficiency and using emerging technologies they can
substitute 75% of their hydro electrical power.
 Flood Plain management
 As floodplain managers, state resource agencies and local communities
wrestle with the problems associated with flood-control dams; cities
around the country are implementing innovative techniques for
managing floods without new dams. While many of these alternatives
are not quick fixes, they are real solutions that can be implemented with
long-term planning. The following are some alternative approaches to
dams for flood management:
 • Reducing runoff
 • Riparian & in-river flood management
 • Separating the people & the threat

Dams: Economics of borrowing and
technology purchase
 Water Diversion - the Primary purpose of Dams (human agricultural
purposes)
 A primary purpose of many dams, both large and small, is to facilitate
water diversions. Although existing water supplies can be stretched
much further and new water infrastructure can be delayed using water
conservation and efficiency strategies described below, people will
continue to divert
 water from rivers and other surface sources for various purposes.
 Nearly 80 percent of water consumed in the United States comes from
surface supplies—rivers, creeks and lakes.1 In California alone, there are
more than 25,000 points of diversion from streams.2 Thus, there are at
least 25,000 locations in the state at which fish and other river organisms
can be
 harmed in the process of meeting our need for water. In many dam
investigations, the question comes down to: could we still divert water if
the dam is removed or modified, or not built at all? In many cases, the
answer is yes.

What to do….?
Several, more river-friendly alternatives to traditional permanent dam diversion methods are
discussed below, including:

 • Infiltration galleries and wells
 • Screened pipe intakes
 • Seasonal dams
 • Consolidated diversions
 Nigerian activist Nnimmo Basse, winner of the prestigious Right Livelihood Award
launched a movie production series documenting the effects of dams all across the world.
The production was launched today at the COP17 climate meeting in Durban. The video
and tour allow viewers to explore why dams are not the answer to climate change, by
learning about topics such as reservoir emissions, dam safety, and adaptation while visiting
real case studies in the Amazon, Africa, and the Indian and Pakistani Himalayas.
 Between 1939-1969, Louis Bloomfield, author of Rains Came, came to India learned
about Humus, Plant Nutrition, Soil Management, Came to Pleasant Valley, OHIO, USA,
and Started Malabar Farm. Lady Eve Balfour, Published The Living Soil. Despite
resistance from giant Agri Multinationals Americans steadily progressed in replacing at
least in their country the food with organic produce components.

Dams: USA In perspective

 They rapidly expanded in to agriculture taming the greatest rivers like
Missisipi Missouri etc. Thousands of earth works and dams are built all
across the country from the beginning of 19th century.
 Precisely 79 000 dams (small medium and big). They more than 100 years to
observe and learn the damage or benefits caused by dams.
 Finally with advances of technologies in hydrology river management
ecology and environmental science and high pressure physics the US
decided to take a new path of water management.
 Since 1945 post war US took the lead in demolishing already constructed
dams. They dismantled thousands of dams.
 In the last decade (2001-2012) they de commissioned more than 975 dams
at a pace of 100 dams per year. They realized that the operative costs of
maintaining dams is more than cheap alternatives available in the erstwhile
benefits of dams.

CHINA in perspective

 In the year 1936, J I Rodate founder of
magazine Organic Gardening and Farming
reported after studying the Chinese farming
practices that CHINA only with Organic
Farming feeding 100 Million Cattle, 300 Million
Hogs, 600 Million People during that period.
 The only reason China building three Gorges
dam was to loot Gangotri basin water reserves
and store that for future purposes.

EU in perspective

 From the beginning there were no huge dams
in EU for electricity. France gets 80% of its
energy needs from nuclear energy. Rivers are
managed more on the lines of Americans. In
the field of organic farming and feeding they
are forefront in research and development.

BRAZIL in perspective

 Brazil is the first country to create an
environmental police to protect Amazon river
from being dammed. Brazil is the country
that pushed bio fuels and organic farming as
alternate to chemicals.

India in perspective post
liberalization
 On the front of Dams we want to borrow from world bank to
maintain our dams or repair our dams.
 English companies are consultants for this and Australian companies
will teach us how to manage dams and the ecology and remove
pollution of our rivers at a whopping cost of Rs 35 000 crores only for
Ganaga River alone.
 There are two similar attempts done by Indians under Ganga Action
Plan 1 (Rs 1000 crores) and Gap 2 (with Rs 10000 crores). Now this
time it is Rs 35 000 crores for Ganga alone.
 That too IIT are romped in for authenticity by foreign MNCs. Now IIT
rarely teach a combined curriculum of River Ecology, Fisheries,
Alluvial Sociology, Agricultural development together.

We present our views on Water Privatization as
the solution offered to manage the growth in
water consumption and the severe water
scarcity is not viable and we offer alternatives
solutions with their proven success.

Water, Water…

 Privatization of water systems:
 Increasing concern: In developing countries
 Triggered by:
 The growth of the for-profit private sector
management
 Attention:
 Who owns, who operates, who pays, how much,
who decides, on what basis?

Defining Water Privatization

 India “Disinvestment”
 Bolivia “Capitalization”
 Vietnam “Equitization”
 Sri Lanka “Peoplization”
 China “Ownership reform”
 Mexico “Disincorporation”
 In Essence : Commoditization of Water
 Shifting Power to Corporations
 Manage/Control water viz. Ownership, Collection,
Purification, Distribution, Pricing

Multipurpose Projects
 Municipal and Industrial
 Irrigation
 Flood control
 Hydroelectric power
 Navigation
 Water quality
 Recreation
 Fisheries
 Drainage & sediment control
 Preservation and enhancement of natural water areas,
ecological diversity, archeology, etc

Models

 Service Contracts
 Short term (1-3 years)
 System Component-wise Contracts
 Usually non-transparent
 D(BOOT)
 Long term (10-20 years)
 Infrastructure development
 Requires large investments
 Divestiture
 Long term (10-20 years)
 Complete transfer of power to private companies

Big Promises…
 Private sector is better, more efficient manager
 Improve water/sanitation services, including to poor
 No more water leakages and careful consumption
 No major water rate increases in next 5-10 years
 Private sector infuses capital to finance needed investments
(e.g., water pipes, sewerage treatment plants)
 No more government subsidies or outlays
 No more political interference, no more corruption

Case study: Shivanath River

 The 1998 project, the first case of water privatization in India, a 22-year renewable contract,
with total expected cost of Rs 256 crore
 The Project
 Supply water to the Borai industrial area along a 23-km stretch of Shivanath river
 Players
 Radius Water (Kailash Soni )
 Chhattisgarh State Industrial Development Corporation
 Outcome
 Radius Water supplies 4 million litres daily of water at the rate of Rs 12.60 per litre to industries, the
railway station and a railway colony
 The river, they say, has become inaccessible there's water but they are not allowed to fish and bathe.
 News: A River Gone Private is Drying Up
 a monopoly on the water supply in an 18-km radius
 Government announced that the scheme is constitutionally illegal
 Contract revoked

 Government's contact was unembarrassedly catering to corporate interests.

Bolivia: Cochabamba

 1999, A 40 year concession in Cochabamba
 Players
 World Bank
 Bachtel and another Italy based International Water Company
 Water User fees in dollars
 Outcome
 Fees went to $20 per month (Household income $65).
 Permits requirement for collecting rain water on roofs.
 Mass local protests organized into a coalition in defense of water and life.
 After weeks of intense protests, the government cancelled the contract.
 Bechtel is suing Bolivia for $25 million dollars for canceling the contract.

Visible Threats

 Water Price hikes
 Forgotten promises
 Water Mining and Bulk Export
 Environmentally unsustainable
 Profit oriented
 Monopolistic Water Market
 Elimination of public control on water while it remains crucial to
humanity
 Substandard Water Quality
 Reduce cost increase profit
 Corruption and lack of transparency
 Absence of strong regulatory authority and delays in legal processing

Agony of Ganga: Loss of cultural Heritage

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