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Focus on cleaning the Sabarmati river; the second most polluted river February 20, 2023  https://groundreport.in/focus-on-cleaning-the-sabarmati-river-the-second-most-polluted-river/  The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has also decided to upgrade the Sabarmati River to “Category-I” status for critically polluted due to these most recent findings. The BOD (Biochemical oxygen demand) in the Sabarmati River was found to be 292 mg per liter.

https://www.knocksense.com/ahmedabad/sabarmati-river-in-ahmedabad-the-second-most-polluted-in-india-says-cpcb-report

of the 603 rivers assessed, there are 311 Polluted stretches in 279 rivers in 30 States & Union Territories.. ..46 Polluted river stretches have been identified
in Priority Class – I (Refer Annexure – IV) in 18 States/ UTs with highest number i.e. 06 in Gujarat & Uttar Pradesh... The names of 13 polluted rivers are
Amlakhadi, Bhadar, Bhogavo, Bhukhi Khadi, Damanganga, Dhadar, Khari, Mahi, Mindhola, Sabarmati, Shedhi, Tapi, Vishwamitri. ..

Taken from: ‘Polluted River Stretches for Restoration of Water Quality – 2022’ https://cpcb.nic.in/wqm/RS-criteria-status.pdf

RIVER         POLLUTED RIVER STRETCH/ LOCATION    Max BOD Observed (mg/ L)

COOUM         AVADI TO SATHYA NAGAR  (TN)                          345.0

SABARMATI     RAYSAN TO VAUTHA (Gujarat)                           292.0

BAHELA        ALONG TANDA  (UP)                                    287.0

BHADAR        ALONG JETPUR (gujarat)                               258.6 

VASISHTA      ALONG SALEM  (TN)                                    230.0

GHAGGAR       MUBARAKPUR TO SARDULGARH (Punjab)                    210.0 

GHAGGAR       BHAGWANPUR TO SURAJPUR; ALONG KALA AMB,

              ALONG CHANDRAPURA, ALONG SIRSA  (Haryana)            206.0

KHARI         ALONG LALI VILLAGE (Gujarat)                         195.0

Maharashtra still has the highest number of polluted river stretches in the country i.e. 55 identified in the year 2022. In Year 2018, 53 polluted river stretches were identified

Andhra farmer guarding tomato crop killed, second such death in a week  https://www.indiatoday.in/crime/story/andhra-farmer-guarding-tomato-plants-killed-second-death-in-a-week-2408258-2023-07-18 Some unidentified people strangled a farmer who fell asleep while guarding his tomato crop in Andhra Pradesh’s Annamaya district. It is the second such death reported from the region in the last seven days.

PAN INDIA CITIZENS CAMPAIGN AGAINST FOREST CONSERVATION AMENDMENT BILL 2023 BEING LAUNCHED STARTING SUNDAY 16 JULY

The Forest Conservation Amendment Bill 2023 will be tabled in the monsoon session of the parliament starting on 20th July. This amendment bill seeks to open most of India's natural, biodiversity rich old growth forests for commercialisation, infrastructure development, industrialisation and other purposes.

CAMPAIGN ASKS:

1) Calling all rural and urban citizens across different states and union territories in India to collect in groups of 6 or 10 or 20 or 30 or more on Sunday 16 July this weekend in a local forest or green area and get photos clicked with a serious expression on your faces holding placards in English, Hindi and your state's regional language. Get photos clicked of 1 or 2 people standing showing what is written on the placard clearly and group photos as well.

Share the photos on the groups.

2) Also click photos of human chain formed and people hugging trees with serious look on their faces.

3) Along with any of the below lines written in English, Hindi or regional language, placard must mention name of village / city along with the state at the bottom.

4) Write content of placards in all capital letters with neat handwriting with thick marker pen so it is clearly visible from a distance in the images.

5) Feel free to draw draw some trees, leaves, wildlife images on the placards on the sides.

6) Amplify protest in your local print and television news media. Share press release with media in your areas.

7) please post messages on your social media and groups so as to create awareness on this critical issue that affects each and every Indian.

8) Convert these below lines of the placards into your regional language and use.

SUGGESTED MESSAGES TO BE PUT ON PLACARDS ALONG WITH 2 HASHTAGS GIVEN BELOW:

Please use these 2 hashtags on all social media - FB, Insta and Twitter and on all the placards.

#ScrapForestConservationAmendmentBill2023

#SaveIndianForests

POSTERS / PLACARD CONTENT IN ENGLISH:

1) Withdraw the regressive Forest Conservation Amendment Bill 2023.

2) Forest Conservation Amendment Bill 2023 is against people and wildlife.

3) Forest Conservation Amendment Bill 2023 is against the Indian Constitution.

4) Forest Conservation Amendment Bill 2023 will destroy India's biodiversity rich forests.

5) Forest Conservation Amendment Bill 2023 will destroy India's sacred groves.

6) Forests = Clean Air + Water Security

7) Forest Conservation Amendment Bill 2023 will destroy wildlife habitats and corridors.

8) Forest Conservation Amendment Bill 2023 is not interested in conserving old growth forests.

9) Forest Conservation Amendment Bill 2023 wrongly glorifies plantations.

10) Forest Conservation Amendment Bill 2023 promotes large scale commercialization of Indian forests.

11) Forest Destruction = River Catchment Area Destruction = No Water Security

12) Climate action demands strengthening of forest laws, not their dilution.

13) Plantations cannot restore ecological benefits and biodiversity loss of old growth forests.

14) Forest Conservation Amendment Bill 2023 undermines the rights of forest dependent communities.

15) Forest Conservation Amendment Bill 2023 ignores importance of forests as habitat for rare and endangered species.

16) Forest Conservation Amendment Bill 2023 is against the National Forest Policy 1988.

17) Forest Conservation Amendment Bill 2023 goes against the government's
constitutional duty to protect our forests.

18) Forest Conservation Amendment Bill 2023 promotes infrastructure development in our hills and mountains, which will intensify floods and landslides.

19) Forest Conservation Amendment Bill 2023 does not protect right of forest dwelling communities.

20) Exemptions of zoos and safaris opens our forests for commercialisation.

21) Forest Conservation Amendment Bill 2023 goes against citizen's constitutional right to a clean environment.

22) Forest dwelling and tribal communities are integral to the survival of forests.

23) Forest Conservation Amendment Bill 2023 will aggravate climate change impacts, air pollution and water stress.

24) Forest Conservation Amendment Act 2023 is against core spirit of Forest Rights Act 2006.