Reframing Bharalu’s restoration goals

Rivers are unique creations of nature as critical sources of fresh water for consumption and irrigation, providing livelihoods to fishing communities, water transport since time immemorial, and also for industrial use in modern times.When a river gets polluted, the water no longer remains fit for human and animal consumption, while contaminated river water also harms agricultural production if it is used for irrigation. Pollution of rivers due to the discharge of industrial effluents or untreated sewage leads to a severe shortage of water for optimal use for different needs. Restoration of polluted river stretches, therefore, is a crucial need, but balancing it with development needs is easier said than done. The release of the report titled ‘Classification of Polluted River Stretches, 2025’ and a manual titled ‘Identification of Non-Polluted and Polluted Stretches and Water Bodies through Freshwater Benthic Macroinvertebrates in India’ by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is a timely endeavour, but effective utilisation of these resources in the restoration of polluted river stretches demands a clear roadmap. The classification of the Bharalu River in Guwahati and the Kolong River in Nagaon in the list of 35 most polluted river stretches in the country by the CPCB highlights the importance of the report and the manual for Assam. However, the framework of restoration as defined in the CPCB’s approach to Water Quality Management has no scope for restoring the polluted rivers or stretches to their pristine form, as such a measure, according to the pollution watchdog, is considered a deterrent to developmental activities and cost prohibitive. The CPCB had adopted the approach of restoring the polluted river stretches to their “designated best use”, i.e., the highest priority which the water from the particular stretch can safely support. Based on the yardstick of best use, the CPCB has categorised five classifications – drinking without much treatment, which is ideal for human consumption; outdoor bathing; drinking water source but only after significant treatment to remove the pollutants; water not clean or safe for consumption or bathing but can sustain fish and other aquatic life; and irrigation, industrial use and controlled waste disposal. Pollution in the Bharalu and Kolong rivers is a classic example of how community ignorance about the importance of river conservation and administrative inefficiency has led to the downgrading of their “designated best use” classification to the lowest category. Restoration of water quality of Bharalu river to the category of safe for outdoor bathing can change the image of the capital city as a vibrant city with an efficient administration and community committed to water conservation, more particularly the natural waterbodies. The classification based on “best use” has removed the ambiguities in the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, which mandates maintenance and restoration of the wholesomeness of national aquatic resources by prevention and control of pollution. The CPCB argues that the Act did not define “wholesomeness” to be restored or maintained; use-based classification is necessary to remove the ambiguity in action on the ground. The CPCB document states: “Since the natural water bodies have got to be used for various competing as well as conflicting demands, the objective is aimed at restoring and/or maintaining natural water bodies or their parts to such a quality as needed for their best uses.” While the CPCB has categorised the Bharalu River based on its water quality, the classification of the river from the perspective of the use of its water pushes it to the lowest category. Delinking restoration goals with use-based classification runs the risk of abandoning restoration projects. The state government and the city authorities having a clear roadmap and goals for the restoration of Bharalu and Kolong is crucial to rule out any possibility of retaining the two polluted rivers at the lowest classification. The use-based classification will require the authorities to spell out how they plan to use the water of the two rivers so that restoration goals can accordingly be set. Right now, the only use of Bharalu river in public perception is to discharge untreated stormwater from city’s drainage network and discharge of household sewage in the localities through which it flows. The administration and the city residents deciding the best use of the Bharalu River will be essential to ending the ad hoc and ambiguous approach in projects undertaken for the restoration of its water quality. Clarity on the use of Bharalu River water will guide the authorities to prioritise sewage discharge in its catchments. This will ensure that no untreated water is directly discharged into the river. Desilting of the Bharalu River is a key component of maintenance work on the river, and defining the use of the river for water transport is vital to set objective goals under regular maintenance. Such a shift in approach will be considered pragmatic only when soil conservation in the city hills is linked with restoration goals for Bharalu river for its best use.