Water is among the most essential essential requisites that nature has provided to sustain life on earth. The total quantity of freshwater on earth can satisfy all needs of human population if it would have been evenly distributed and accessible. Out of the world's freshwater resources, about 75% is held within ice sheets and glaciers, nearly 24.5% in groundwater and remainder occur in rivers (0.03%), lakes (0.3%) and in the atmosphere ((0.06%). Only 115 million-ham forms surface water :

Total annual river flow of the world is 37000 cubic kilometers, while that of Indian rivers is 1645 cubic kilometers, i.e., 4.5% total world river water. Land mass of our country is criss-crossed by various rivers. In our culture and tradition rivers are not only geomorphological and hydrological object but have got very important place and most of them are considered sacred. They are the lifeline of many cities towns and villages. River water is used in many ways like bathing, drinking, municipal water supply, navigation, irrigation and fishing. Simultaneously it is used as a course for discharge of industrial effluent, municipal sewage and disposal of solid waste. During many festivals people take holy dip in the rivers.