High Modernism, Necropolitics, The Gange's Decline
The Ganges’ pollution has had devastating consequences for public health, particularly for marginalized communities who lack access to clean water and adequate healthcare. Waterborne diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid are rampant in these communities, with children being particularly vulnerable. The high rates of infant mortality and malnutrition in areas along the Ganges are a stark reminder of the necropolitical dimension of the crisis, where the lives of the poor and marginalized are deemed expendable in the pursuit of development.
The necropolitical nature of the Ganges crisis is also evident in the government’s focus on large-scale infrastructure projects that often exacerbate environmental degradation rather than mitigate it. The construction of dams, for example, has led to the displacement of thousands of people, particularly indigenous communities who have been living in harmony with the river for centuries. These communities are often left without adequate compensation or resettlement options, forcing them into poverty and further marginalization. The destruction of their traditional livelihoods and cultural practices is a form of slow violence that is often overlooked in the broader narrative of development and progress.
Necropolitics in the management of the Ganges serves as the ultimate expression of the hidden violence that underpins high modernist development practices. The focus on large-scale infrastructure projects that often exacerbate environmental degradation rather than mitigate it reflects a governance model that values economic gain over the preservation of life—both human and non-human.