Berra is nothing The World's Dirty Rivers in India
By Elisabeth Salemme Monday, Jan. 22, 2007A man reaches for the water while bathing at the ritual site at Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers during the Ardh Kumbh Mela (Half Pitcher) festival January 18, 2006, in Allahabad, India.
Cuyahoga River
After floating debris and oils ignited in 1969, the public outcry over this burning river in Ohio helped spur the Clean Water Act and the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. Conditions have improved, but the watershed remains an area of concern for the agency.
Potomac River
Just when you thought it was safe... In 1972, the Clean Water Act, which called for 'swimmable, fishable waters,' prompted a Potomac purging. But last fall, the appearance of intersex fish which have male and female organs renewed concerns about swimming, fishing and drinking the water.
Pripyat River
After the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, the river, which flows near the reactor, became radioactive. With toxic silt still flowing downstream in the Pripyat, which is some 441 miles long, a dam on the left bank has been the only effective countermeasure, and dredging remains dangerous.
Songhua River
In 2005, when a factory blast in Harbin dumped toxins into the water, Chinese citizens took action. They rioted after discovering the government hid the full extent of the crisis. Following some 50,000 environmental protests, Beijing this month pledged $64 million to clean the river.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1581251,00.html
Edited By - impartial - 1 Oct 2008 06:26:08 GMT |