despite a well-funded river-conservation (clean-up) programme set up by the government over a decade ago, our rivers are in terminal condition. Let's take a look at the progress we have made. An increasing number of clean rivers have changed course to join "polluted' stretches. Government is continuously repeating its mistakes. Sewage, which needs to be treated in treatment plants before it can be released into rivers, is being released without any treatment. And blueprints for full-fledged hardware programmes are being made, needless to say, with huge investments. Public money is being wasted. The progress of the river conservation programme is hardly encouraging. We need to ensure both adequate flow and good quality of water. The two are interlinked