No one cares as rivers turn toxic SO thick-skinned is the political leadership and the bureaucracy in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh that media reports of dead fish floating in the states' rivers almost every year fail to move them. Last year a large quantity of fish perished in the Sarsa river near Baddi. This year the Rewalsar lake in Mandi district has lost its fish. First Nangal and now Harike in Punjab have reported the tragic happening. The contamination of river and lake waters may be the reason. The Beas and the Satluj originate in Himachal, where pollution starts and gets more serious and damaging as the rivers flow through Punjab. Rajasthan and Haryana too get the toxic water. The whole flora and fauna as well as human life is affected as rainwater from the fertiliser-laced fields flows into ponds, canals and rivers. A large section of the population gets drinking water from the rivers. Ground water has turned toxic at many places. Water-borne diseases as well as cancer are killing or crippling so many. Not only water for drinking and irrigation is harder to get, it is increasingly becoming life threatening. In 1997 seven sewage treatment plants were proposed at Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Phillaur and Phagwara. Only one has been commissioned so far. Either politicians and officials in these states do not understand the real implications of the deadly pollution of the water resources or have deliberately chosen to shut their eyes to the reality around to devote their time and energy to more gainful work. Such indifference towards gifts of nature like water and animal life reflects a callous mindset at work. It is not just fish that is dying due to the criminal discharge of untreated sewage and industrial waste. The conscience of the leadership too is dying a slow death.