Leading activist to take Mithi yatra<br/>

Magsaysay award winner and 'India's waterman', Rajendra Singh tours to get a first-hand report on why the river is treated like an open drain

Leading activist to take Mithi yatra<br/>

Magsaysay award winner and 'India's waterman', Rajendra Singh tours to get a first-hand report on why the river is treated like an open drain

RAMON Magsaysay Award winner 2001 for community leadership Rajendra Singh, is all set to lead Mumbaikars on the Mithi Nadi yatra today. Singh, who is commonly referred to as the 'India's waterman', has since 1985 built 4,500 earthen check dams or johads, to collect rainwater in some 850 villages in 11 districts of arid Rajasthan. He has also helped revive five rivers that had gone dry in the state.

Mithi River, which means 'sweet river', is a confluence of tail water discharges from Powai and Vihar lakes. It flows over 15 kilometers to meet the Arabian Sea at Mahim Creek and has gained notoriety as a dumping ground of dirt, pollutants and refuse in the city. The Mithi River also compounded to Mumbai's flooding in July 26, 2005, when it overflowed.

"The collected data will be used to initiate action, even at Centre level to ensure that the river, whose pollution levels have reached an alarming stage, is restored to its former glory, when people actually used it for fishing and swimming," said Singh. The Magsaysay winner is also responsible for a number of dams coming up in such drought-prone areas which were written off in Bhanwata-Kolyala village, transforming it into a lush green place now, visited by ex-president K R Narayanan. Singh added that his presence in the city was also to create awareness amongst citizens against illegal activities, such as dischargeu00a0 of unauthorised hazardous waste, which is also being carried out along the course of this river.

Senior Mithi activist Girish Raut stated that the reason for calling Singh was his track record for reviving water bodies and his association with nature-related topic.

"While he has revived dead rivers, in Mumbai we are killing a river which is alive. There is documented proof in ancient Marathi text called 'Mahivai chi Vakar', written in the 12th century, which mentions the existence of Mithi Nadi, whose water was used even for drinking purposes by the local residents," claimed Raut.

He added that any development, carried at the cost of compromising nature, is not sustainable and only an invitation for a repeat of the 26/7 floods.

Another main coordinator of the event, Janak Dafttary, an ex-IITian known for his water harvesting projects in Mumbai, stated that it's little-known that Mahim Creek, where the river ends, has been nominated for bird sanctuary called 'Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary', whereu00a0 migratory birds come for nesting.

"It is time for Mumbaikars to unite and demand action, which can be testified by actual results and not merely exist on paper and Government project reports. It is high time that people know the actual result of the multi crore projects launched by officials in the past," said Dafttary.

City activist Vidya Vaidya said that the rejuvenation of one of Mumbai's major rivers the Mithi, needs the involvement of not onlyu00a0 senior activists, but each and every Mumbaikar.

Sunday's time table for Mithi Nadi Yatra
7.30 am: Idli-chai, Powai Viewer's Plaza
9.30 am: Bailbazar Crematorium, Kurla
10.30 am: Air India Colony, Kalina
11.30 am: Vakola Nala, BKC (CST road end)
12.00 pm: Koliwada, Mahim Causeway
4.00 pm: Exhibition of Mithi 'progress' pics/documents, Kirti College (off Cadell Road)
4.30 pm: Shri Rajendra Singh's public address, Kirti College

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