OneWorld.net (U.S.)

Magsaysay awardee Rajender Singh spoke to OneWorld South Asia, on December 9, in an interview after the culmination of nine-day long march to save the groundwater resources. His satyagrah on the banks of the Yamuna in New Delhi has been going on for the past more than 100 days. Following are the excerpts:

OneWorld South Asia: Tell me about your experience on the 9-day march that has concluded today. Rajender Singh: In this march, people from six states for nine days visited villages on the outskirts of Delhi. All those people who are related to the Yamuna came and joined. The group of marchers consisted of around 50 people. Everyday we met thousands of people.

Starting on December 1, the march culminated today (December 9). It was quite encouraging to see the response from the villagers, particularly in villages like Palla, Sungerpur, Pindi, Bakhtawarpur, etc. They are now in the process of forming an organisation by the name of Delhi Jal Biradiri.

I think this march was an entry point. All these people have now come together to save the Yamuna river. Their main objective is to stop further pollution and exploitation of the Yamuna. I feel the way the farmers are joining hands, they would definitely do a good job in strengthening this Yamuna satyagrah.

OWSA: You have been sitting in protest as part of Yamuna satyagrah for the past 131 days (on December 9). How has been the response? RS: In the last 131 days all kinds of people from Delhi have come here to express their solidarity and concern for the plight of the river. Despite pressure from government, they came, met and talked. Their association has been extremely helpful and encouraging. I feel the message about the importance of saving the Yamuna has definitely spread far and wide. It is now everybody’s desire to keep the Yamuna clean and flowing.

All rivers in the country are facing the same crisis. We are attempting to find a solution to the crisis of rivers through this Yamuna satyagrah. We are talking to all kinds of people and our understanding about rivers is growing. In this process, we are getting educated about the significance of rivers.

OWSA: Who is responsible for the crisis that the Yamuna is facing today? RS: The primary responsibility for this lies with the government. Political leaders are also equally responsible because they are not ready to understand their responsibility.

OWSA: But the government claims that it is spending money on cleaning of the river. RS: It is all dirty politics of dirt. The manner in which money is being spent is only harmful. Only when both the government and the society understand their responsibility, the Yamuna can become clean. If we allow the government to continue playing its game in which the engineers, the political leaders are only concerned about filling their coffers then this river is doomed to die.

OWSA: How has been the response of the government? RS: They are at least now willing to listen. At least 15 members of the Delhi government heard our petitions. Even the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi has endorsed the demands of Yamuna satyagrah. They are conceding. Many of the demands that we had made have been accepted. For instance, they have agreed to pass a moratorium on further construction in and around Yamuna. However, they are saying that the proposed Commonwealth Village is an old decision and so it cannot be abandoned now. We are still insisting that the site of the Commonwelath Games to be held in 2010 be shifted. We are hopeful that the government will concede to this demand as well.

OWSA: How can this movement be further strengthened? RS: Everybody has to understand his or her role – the media, the social activists, the farmers, the common people. Slowly but steadily this movement is growing. Many organisations like Ekta Parishad, National Alliance for People’s Movement, Narmada Bachao Andolan and many others are together with us.