Specialist of ecology of rivers Michael Barber has said that the rivers could not be kept healthy if we ignore the chief reasons behind the pollution in rivers. He further added that the pollution should be seen in the context of the entire basin of the rivers, without considering it the pollution of the rivers could not be ameliorated. Barber gave this statement while talking to mediapersons on Friday. Barber of the US along with Cajole Nilson of Norway and Subodh Sharma of Nepal is in the State as a representative to the International River Festival being organised at Bandrabhan, at the banks of Narmada and Tawa. The festival is being organised from March 21 to 23. The trio visited Betwa, Kolar Dam, Upper and Lower Lakes of Bhopal on Thursday. The specialists said that after watching Betwa, it was felt that the nutrients of water have been polluted due to the higher concentration of fertilisers. They added that the chemical and organic sources of these pollutants would have to be determined; apart from these, there could be economic, cultural and social reasons behind the pollution of the rivers. Barber said that the biggest challenge is to educate the society in a proper way for conservation of rivers, and then only we can fight river pollution in an effective way. Cajole Nilson of Norway informed that the water that flows in the rivers during the rainy season, also brings the fertilisers and pesticides of the farms with it, which results in the formation of green algae over the surface of the river and leading to the scarcity of oxygen at the river bed, thus it turns out to be the reason behind the death of animal life. Subodh Sharma of Nepal said that the household garbage and excretory products should be released in the rivers after proper treatment. Apart from this, he also stressed on the need of forestation along side riverbanks.