Give Mumbai her rivers back: Join hands with IAHV/Art of Living to revive our Dahisar river

“If there is one thing that is above you, below you, around you & inside of you, other than God, it is Water.”
      ~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 

New York has the Hudson, London has the Thames, Paris has the Seine... and Mumbai?  

Well, Mumbai is blessed with not 1, not 2 - but 4 rivers! Yes - 4 rivers:

• the Dahisar river

• the Oshiwara river

• the Poisar river &

• the Meethi river

Unfortunately though, every one of these rivers has ceased to be a river today - except perhaps in name; over time, we've sadly succeeded in converting these lifelines of our city into nallahs (sewers/drains) overflowing with garbage and toxic waste.

All our 4 rivers originate at the Tulsi Lake and flow into the Arabian Sea. The monstrous accumulation of debris, sewage waste, plastic bags and toxins in these rivers, have not only caused them to lose their identities, but have also rendered a foul stench all along their course, as they empty out into the sea.

The International Association for Human Values (IAHV) and the Art of Living have extended their body of work to include the revival of Mumbai's rivers - starting with the Dahisar river.

This is the first project of its kind in Mumbai and will undoubtedly serve as the benchmark for all future work to be done on other rivers in our city in years to come.

The Dahisar River - The Extent of the Problem:

• With all kinds of refuse being emptied into it, the Dahisar river, approximately 13 kms long, has degenerated into a sewer. In addition, heavy silting and the growth of weeds and other vegetation on the river bed, further restrict the flow of its water.

• According to pollution-related data, the BOD** level in this river is 420 mg/l - way above the prescribed standard of 30 mg/l.

• Encroachments on the dry areas of the riverbed have choked the water course even more, aggravating the risk of flooding.

• Field observations indicate that municipal solid waste, industrial waste and debris from construction activities are dumped into the river. All of this coupled with inadequate annual de-silting efforts only add to our tale of woe.

• Sewage discharge along with the discharge of heavy metallic substances is cause for concern as carcinogenic substances like lead, mercury, chromium, etc. (part of industrial waste material) find their way into the sea. Here, they enter the human food chain as they are consumed by fish caught by local fishermen. This could be one of the reasons for the rise in cancer in the city in the past couple of decades.

**BOD level = Biochemical Oxygen Demand level - i.e. the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic biological organisms to break down organic material present in a given water sample

Our Approach - To Mitigate the Damage:

• If we are to improve the water table, then water retention becomes extremely essential .Our water conservation strategy therefore is to preserve rain water to the maximum extent possible, thereby recharging the water table, enabling it to rise. 

• We propose to carry out our work on this river in two phases.

• As part of Phase I, the Forest Department has granted us permission to build a bandhara (dam) at a distance of 700 metres from the border of the boating area at Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

• This bandhara (a 5 feet high RCC check dam) with 2 gates will serve to retain water and to also regulate/decrease the velocity of the water flow, thus slowing down the process of water run-off and making room to capture rain water.

It will also allow for the recharging of the ground water table, thereby increasing its level.

• The estimated cost of this First Phase of our project (i.e. building the bandhara for the revival of the Dahisar River) is approximately INR 25 lakhs and our estimated timeline for the completion of the same is about 6 months.

• The Second Phase will include the gradual cleaning up of the river, in stages, so that aquatic life, flora and fauna can not only be revived, but also flourish once again.

Why should I donate? How is this going to Benefit me as a Mumbaikar?

• The dam will ensure that there's around a 750 metres stretch of water storage (adjacent to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park) around the year, even post the monsoon.

• Improving ground water levels will help reduce water scarcity issues.

• Reviving the river will be the first step towards converting toxic water into usable water (for both domestic and industrial purposes).

• It would help increase awareness with respect to the importance of water and water bodies.

• It will support the river and surrounding ecosystems by aiding the functioning of various natural phenomena, including the restoration of flora and fauna... making Mumbai greener... Something we and this city's children can definitely do with a lot more of!

• It would create more community engagement and employment generation (with for e.g. ideal picnic spots, walking/ nature trails emerging along the river). Think of most global cities and the gamut of life that springs up along the banks of rivers...

What experience does the IAHV and the Art of Living have in running Projects of this nature?

A few years ago, NASA's satellite data revealed that 21 of the world's 37 large aquifers were severely water-strained, sparking off innumerable discussions on how future conflict was likely to be over water...

In fact, studies show that India is facing her worst water crisis in 4 decades. At least 54% of the sub-continent has turned into a water-stressed dust bowl with many rivers rapidly drying up. Experts are of the opinion that by 2025, the country will be facing an acute water crisis if no preventive measures are taken today.

To mitigate this, the IAHV and the Art of Living have formally, over the last 5 years, taken up the task of reviving India's lost rivers as well as other water bodies such as ponds, wells, canals and temple tanks, primarily through the Jal Jagruti Abhiyaan. This Water Conservation and Awareness Program, started in the year 2013, aims to provide long-term lasting solutions to water scarcity issues faced by our country.

We have worked passionately in the field of water rejuvenation, trying out unique approaches in various parts of India to make these projects successful, viable and sustainable. Our success lies in two aspects: a creation of awareness about the critical water situation in the area and our objective of enabling people/local communities to come together and jointly work at resolving the issues at hand.

So far 40 rivers are in the process of being revived across the 4 states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, benefiting approximately 3,000 villages and touching tens of thousands of lives.

For more details, click on the given link

https://www.artofliving.org/in-en/projects/environmental-sustainability/water-conservation

We invite you to be part of this transformation and be transformed.

Do extend your helping hands by generously donating to save our lifelines - our rivers!

Our children will thank you. Our city will thank you.

We believe that this project will not only raise awareness about the integral importance of water, but will also strengthen our society, bringing social, economic and cultural prosperity in its fold.

Remember...

You are 60% water. So save 60% of yourself...

A river is more than an amenity; it is a treasure.

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