A Consultation on Water

The river Yamuna is one of India’s most sacred rivers. Closely connected to the stories of the Hindu deity Krishna, the Yamuna is venerated and worshiped by Hindus worldwide. Despite this, the river is considered to be “dead”, so heavily polluted that no life can exist within it. After leaving the Himalayas it reaches Delhi, where the water is diverted and replaced with untreated sewage water. It is this water, which contains dangerously high levels of toxic chemicals that Hindu devotees use for worship and rituals. Despite several high profile campaigns over recent years, the plight of the Yamuna is no closer to being resolved. This dialogue will aim to find solutions to the pollution of the Yamuna, focusing on how we can use spirituality, values and culture as a catalyst for action and advocacy.

Our speakers are:

• Atul Bagai, Head of Country Office, UNEP India
• Srivatsa Goswami, Acharya, Radha Ramana Mandir, Vrindavan
• Dr. Monalisa Sen, Biodiversity Programme Coordinator, ICLEI South Asia
• Gita Parihar, Environmental Advocate and Lawyer, Previously Head of Legal at Friends of the Earth
• Moderated by Gopal Patel, Senior Advisor to the Center for Earth Ethics and Founder, Bhumi Global