Ahead of World Rivers Day on Sunday, the Andhra Pradesh State Hindu Dharma Parirakshana Trust (HDPT), an official trust functioning under the Endowments department, urged the public to preserve the purity of rivers and utilise every single drop of water responsibly.
Speaking to The Hindu, HDPT Chairman Dasari Srinivasulu said, “Rivers are among the most precious gifts bestowed upon humanity by nature. Human civilisations originated and flourished along the banks of river valleys.”
“However, as a consequence of modern industrialisation and excessive urbanisation, these vital arteries are now trapped in the severe clutches of pollution, risking their very existence. World Rivers Day is celebrated with an international resolve to recall the importance of rivers,” he said.
The HDPT chief is undertaking a ‘Pada Yatra’ in Prakasam district from October 11 to 20, during Navaratri period, to create awareness among the local people about safeguarding the Gundlakamma river from pollution, encroachments, sand mining and ecological degradation.
“Rivers that once flowed pure and vibrant are now turning lifeless due to human errors. Untreated chemical effluents, discharge of urban municipal sewage into rivers and accumulating plastic waste are causing riverbeds to choke and silt up,” Mr. Srinivasulu said.
“Rivers are not merely streams of flowing water, they are the lifelines of the Earth and providers of life to all living beings. Agriculture sustains, villages prosper, and biodiversity endures only when rivers live. Pure rivers to future generations is our shared moral and social obligation,” he added.