700 Villagers Waded Through A Dead River, Cleansed It And Brought It Back To Life In 70 Days
May 8, 2017
For decades the Kuttemperoor river in Alappuzha, India, slowly choked under the weight of rampant illegal sand mining and construction sites that dumped tons of sewage on its once-pristine banks. Fish and aquatic life were completely wiped out.
But not anymore.
Vivek Nair / HindustanTimes.com
700 villagers have spent weeks wading through toxic waste, algae and risking deadly water-borne diseases to physically de-silt and clean the river.
It wasn't easy.
"I was down with dengue for two weeks but I returned to digging the day I was out of my bed," said P Geetha, a woman worker.
After two months of back-breaking effort, the results began to show.
Vivek Nair / HindustanTimes.com
The river now brims with water, the stench is gone and children are playing on its green banks once more.
"When water scarcity turned unbearable, we decided to revive the river. Initially many discouraged us saying it was a mere waste of money and energy. But we proved them all wrong," said Budhanoor panchayat president P Viswambhara Panicker.
(h/t) HindustanTimes.com
Dogs Are Forced To Wear The Things They Steal — And It’s Hilarious
A ‘Dog Person’ Accidentally Got A Cat —Then Discovered He Was Wrong About Everything
We’re Launching Merch — And It Starts With A Simple Message
This School Hasn’t Changed Its Uniform In Nearly 500 Years
85-Year-Old Grandad Spends 30 Years Creating Stunning Map Of Scotland From Collected Rocks
At 3 Feet Tall, He Was Rejected And Bullied. Now He’s Living His Dream As A Doctor
Duck Runs In A Marathon And Gets A Medal
Music Suddenly Stops Mid-Dance — Then Her Teacher Starts Singing From The Audience
She Loves Sharks But Fears Butterflies — His Homecoming Proposal Was Perfect
Mom Hears A Squeaky Toy But All The Dogs Are Inside. It Was A Squirrel Having The Best Time
'To Be Seen Is to Be Loved': Disney Moment Between Jessie And Deaf Boy Goes Viral
