No! This title isn't mine. I borrowed it from Mahmoud Darwish's literary work of the same name. Thats the phrase which came to my mind, sitting here, listening to the problems ailing Ganges, the holy river for the hindus, and life line for millions of Indians, Nepalis and Bangladeshis. Ganges does seem to be dying of thirst (with the gangotri glacier system endangered by human impact) , and yes... it is much more torchured with pollution and unsustainable exploitation. The findings of this novel Indus-Gangetic basin project are revealing. From river system simulations to water flow analysis to developing interventions, every aspect of it has a ton of information to collate.
Source: IWMI
Indus-Ganges basin has been one of the most heavily utilized river basin of the world. In a very revealing presentation on the state of health of these rivers
Aspects of the completed study on Indus- Ganges project, which will be pursued further during the workshop are:
The data related to all the aspects of the BFP on IGB is public and available for download. IWMI's stand is that they are happy to share all the information as this could further their mission of alleviating poverty and develop sustainable solutions for man and environment. They have been making significant effort to reach out to the people.
Towards effective management of the basin resources Dr. Bharat
The Indus-Gangetic Basin (IGB) Project conducted by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is a part of the Basin Focal Projects (BFP) of the Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF). The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF) is an international, multi-institutional research initiative with a strong emphasis on north-south and south-south partnerships. The initiative brings together research scientists, development specialists, and river basin communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America aiming to improve the productivity of water in river basins in ways that are pro-poor, gender equitable and environmentally sustainable.