As many as 75 organisations united under the banner of Jalangi Nadi Samaj gathered on Friday in Krishnagar to stage a symbolic hunger strike, urging the administration to take immediate action to save the rivers in Nadia from an impending environmental catastrophe.

The rivers in question, including Jalangi, Anjana, Churni, Mathabhanga and Ichamati, are in dire state due to various anthropogenic pressures such as indiscriminate waste dumping, riverbed encroachment for irrigation, bridge construction and the decomposition of jute in their waters. The concerned citizens took to the streets to raise awareness about the critical condition of these lifelines.

During the protest, the activists utilized various forms of expression, including street plays, songs, and dramas, to convey the gravity of the environmental crisis. The dire strait of the rivers, which are essential for the livelihood of many residents of Nadia, has become a matter of concern.

The local organisation has been at the forefront of efforts to preserve and raise awareness about the rivers’ plight. Initiating Jalangi pathshalas in schools across the district, the organisation aims to educate students and parents about the slow death of the Jalangi river due to anti-nature and anti-river activities.

The organisation, Paschim Banga Bigyan Manch and concerned citizens had recently joined forces to reconnect the Anjana river with the Jalangi river at its source point near Sashan Kali Bari in Krishnagar. The Anjana river, a 29-km waterway in the Bhagirathi-Hooghly basin, had been gradually dwindling due to human encroachment and lack of proper maintenance.

Debanjan Bagchi, an activist, expressed frustration, stating, “All rivers flowing across Nadia are in dire straits. Every river has its own problems.” He highlighted the specific challenges each river faces, emphasizing the need for the government to identify and address these issues to restore the natural flow of the rivers.

Indranil Chatterjee, a member of APDR, emphasized the erosion of people’s natural rights on water, forest, and earth. He stated, “Scores of people are directly dependent on the rivers, but most of the rivers are in dire straits due to several reasons.”