Indian J Occup Environ Med. 2011 Sep-Dec; 15(3): 93–96.

doi:  10.4103/0019-5278.93196

PMCID: PMC3299104

Health and environmental sanitation in India: Issues for prioritizing control strategies (click here)

Ganesh S Kumar, Sitanshu Sekhar Kar, and Animesh Jain

...As per estimates, inadequate sanitation cost India almost $54 billion or 6.4% of the country's GDP in 2006. Over 70% of this economic impact or about $38.5 billion was health-related, with diarrhea followed by acute lower respiratory infections accounting for 12% of the health-related impacts.[4] Evidence suggests that all water and sanitation improvements are cost-beneficial in all developing world subregions.[5]

Sectoral demands for water are growing rapidly in India owing mainly to urbanization and it is estimated that by 2025, more than 50% of the country's population will live in cities and towns. Population increase, rising incomes, and industrial growth are also responsible for this dramatic shift. National Urban Sanitation Policy 2008 was the recent development in order to rapidly promote sanitation in urban areas of the country. India's Ministry of Urban Development commissioned the survey as part of its National Urban Sanitation Policy in November 2008.[6] In rural areas, local government institutions in charge of operating and maintaining the infrastructure are seen as weak and lack the financial resources to carry out their functions. In addition, no major city in India is known to have a continuous water supply and an estimated 72% of Indians still lack access to improved sanitation facilities....

Metro Manila, Philippines, is a large urban area that sits on Manila Bay. Like many urban areas, Manila is full of factories and businesses that produce runoff. Runoff spills into the Pasig River, which carries it to Manila Bay. Once the runoff enters the bay, it becomes part of the marine debris of the Pacific Ocean. Chemical runoff is a major, often-unseen part of marine debris that reduces biodiversity in the world's oceans.

Photograph by Elenio Yap, MyShot

It is oddly interesting as civilization of the First World turns to technology to satisfy it's thirst; it is the oceans that are the focus.

The oceans. Does anyone stop to realize the level of pollutants in the oceans and is has nothing to with fish.

Run off pollution from developing countries. Warmer waters support bacterial growth. Radiation from reactors gone wrong. Russia, Japan and the air currents that carry pollutants to the seas.

Human beings have made a real mess of Earth. Now, in their lack of willingness to turn away from plutocracy that satisfies wealth, it the sea that falls under their purview for exploitation. It would have been so much better if Earth had a priority.