India water

"The Sukinda valley is one of two parts of India named 2007’s ten most polluted places (PDF) in the world by an international environmental group. With 16 percent of the world’s population but only 4 percent of the freshwater, India wallows in water problems caused by rapid economic expansion, inadequate response to population changes, and other environmental challenges. Most rivers in the country, even the Ganges, “the most sacred of rivers (newKerala.com),” choke with pollution, especially untreated urban sewage (Spiegel) from ever growing cities—making water unfit for drinking, bathing, and in some cases, irrigation." (thanks D.)