Stop corruption and mining destroying the Ganges River in India

SIGN AND SAVE SWAMI SHIVANANDS LIFE AS HE FASTS TO SAVE THE GANGES

For over 17 years, a small band of Indian sadhu's have been fighting to protect the Ganga (the Ganges River) from the disastrous mining operations occuring in Haridwar, India. Their method is to undertake satyagraha, a non violent and powerfuL protest of continuous fasting to save the mother of Hinduism- the Ganges River. By excavating the river, the course of the river has drastically altered, entire islands have disappeared, and the flora and fauna has almost died out.

The consequences of unabated mining are catastropic. Half a billion people depend on this river system for their survival. By mining, the ground water has been depleted by half, water which irrigates vast area's of farming land, affecting the food supply by which the population survives. 

But for the sadhus, mining is doing something far worse, ruining the sacredness of the river. Eroding the core value of what it is to be Hindu. By destroying people's relationship with God in the form of the deity Mother Ganga, worshipped from time immemorial, the destruction of the river will ultimately destroy peoples faith.

Two years ago, the chief minister of the state ofUttarakhrand promised the sadhu's that they would complete an environmental impact assessment (EIA) on the river before any more mining would be undertaken. This promise was recorded on video, and on paper by a documentary film made about the satyagraha of Swami Shivanand, the guru of the ashram, after mining had begun again on the river in 2011. But their agreement has been broken and their word has proven to be false. Today, the trucks, JVC machines and tractors are tearing up the river bed in Haridwar.

This is not the first time they have broken their word, the saints of Matri Sadan have a record of 37 satyagrahas. Each time they fast, the government agrees to stop mining, but inevitably, mining begins again. This cycle of dishonesty and corruption must stop.

Today, Swami Shivanand, who is 67 years old, is once again fasting,from 14th February 2014 onwards despite the myriad of promises to do an environmental impact assessment on the river and ban mining until it is complete, they have done next to nothing. The saints of Matri Sadan have lost two of their satyagrahis, Swami Gokulanda in 2004, and Swami Nigmanandin 2011. Both of these sadhus are believed to have been poisoned by the mining mafia in Haridwar. Swami Gokulanada's post mortem report states he died from scoline poison.

The High Court of Uttarakhrand has ruled that mining of the river is being done by a nexus of high profile mafia people in Uttarakhrand, and it is these people who are behind the corruption which allows mining the sacred river, and with the local government being complicit in their illegal activities.

This petition will force the judicial system to be accountable and transparent in its decision making process. We want the chief justice of India to put his attention on this issue of the Ganga and all of the environmental issues which are currently assaulting the river.

1. Mining

2. Pollution

3. Corruption in the judiciary system

4. Dams

Please sign this petition and send it to all your friends and colleagues, and support Swami Shivanand in his fast to save the holy river.