Livelihood Challenges, Community Perception and Payment for Ecosystem Services: The Curious Case of Fisherfolk of the River Ganga.

This article examines the willingness of riverine fishing communities in Uttar Pradesh (UP) and West Bengal (WB), India, to pay for initiatives aimed at restoring the water quality of the Ganga River, using an ecosystem services framework and contingent valuation methods. Based on a survey of 800 fishermen conducted in early 2020, the study finds that while 90–98% are willing to participate in cooperative efforts to clean the river, only 34% in UP and 25% in WB are willing to pay financially, primarily due to income constraints and the belief that government should bear responsibility. Additionally, only about 11% of respondents in both states are willing to accept compensation for livelihood losses caused by pollution, largely because of the river’s sacred status and concerns that compensation would encourage further pollution. The findings highlight the importance of incorporating socio-cultural values and local ecological knowledge of marginalized fisherfolk in designing sustainable river restoration policies.