Caring about our rivers

A lot is being said about cleaning rivers in our country.. having beautiful rivers where we can spend our spare time peacefully. And enjoying the clean water that flows seamlessly without that foul smell, without those plastic bag floating, without the foam that gets created with the industrial waste disposed in the water...

Is it all possible? Governments come and go, environmentalists fight and give up...and the rivers only get more and more polluted

Do we really care? Do we really DO something to stop this? What do we do when we see industries discharging dirty, untreated water in the rivers that flow in our town?

Can you suggest what can a common man do to change this scenario?