The Uttarakhand high court declared on Mar 20, 2017 that the Ganga and Yamuna are living entities, bestowing on them the same legal rights as of a person, a move that could help in the efforts to clean these pollution-choked rivers. Archbishop Leo Cornelio responded.

“Everything is life giving. River is a life giving source. Now, you cannot compare things with human beings. Human beings are the most valuable creation of God. All other creatures are somehow connected with God, because, as the psalmist says, all creatures praise the Lord through their performance, activities and by performing the particular duty or responsibility they are given. The duty of Ganga or any river for that matter is to be the life-store. In that sense river Ganga has life. The flow is always continuous. Rivers and other creatures are full of life. You cannot compare rivers or trees with human beings, who are the supreme creation of God. God has created everything in gradational forms, and that has to be respected. Other creatures should not be given the same value as that of humans. Other creatures are created for the welfare of man. In that sense, they have a purpose and goal in life to fulfil. Everything has life and leads towards God. Ganga is supportive of life. It has to be protected, but not as a human being. Everything that God has created is good, and so we need to respect them. The use and throw method as well as polluting or spoiling creation of God is wrong.”