Environmentalist GD Agarwal dies in Rishikesh

GD Agarwal, an environmentalist on a mission to save Ganga, died recently, the result of a 111 day fast, demanding a clean Ganga.  He died of a heart attack.  The 86 year old former professor had been on a hunger strike for 111 days, for a pollution free and uninterrupted flowin the Ganga.

Agarwal had demanded that steps be taken to make the river free-flowing for natural cleansing, and also wanted a ban on construction of all hydroelectric projects along the tributaries of the Ganga.  Letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had pledged four years ago that immediate steps would be taken to ensure cleaning of the holy river.  Nothing was ever done.

Activists and politicians criticized the government for not listening to Agarwal.  There are so many ways to protest.  How far would you go to protest an injustice?  I certainly admire his passion, but death by starvation to get the government to clean up a holy river, would be a bridge too far, for me.