Vrindavan, 2017.03.31 (VT): A four day long ‘Ganga Swachhtaa Pakhwada’ was celebrated from 28th March to 31st March, 2017 jointly by the Centre for Environment Education and ‘Friends of Vrindavan’.
The awareness campaign was initially planned for the cities situated on the bank of Ganga. But the twin cities of Mathura – Vrindavan, situated on the bank of Yamuna, were included due to their religious significance.
A painting competition on Yamuna Pollution was organized at Prem Mahavidyalaya, Keshi Ghat on 28th March. The students from several schools of Vrindavan participated in the completion. ‘Samvid Gurukulam’ was awarded for the best painting on Yamuna.
Ganga Chaupal, a community meeting was organized on the next day at Gopinath Bhavan, on the bank of Yamuna. Several brajwasis, saints and Yamuna bhakts participated in the ‘Chaupal’ to express their anguish on polluting Yamuna.
It was a big day on the 30th March, as hundreds of people marched to Vishram Ghat in Mathura for cleaning the heritage ghats of Yamuna. The government officials, the personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force, students, activists and the priests joined the ‘padyatra’ as a part of awareness campaign on Pollution free Yamuna. Hundreds of hands picked up broom, spades and other cleaning tools and cleaned the bank of Yamuna.
A signature campaign was also organized during the ‘shram daan’, where people had put their signatures with the message for clean Yamuna. A cultural programme also followed the event at Vishram Ghat.
On the last day of the campaign, a conference was organized on Yamuna at Bhramar Ghat, which was attended by several scholars, activists and Yamuna lovers. The conference demanded to declare Yamuna as ‘National Heritage’.
Giving information on the four days long event, Shri Jeetendra Patel, Programme Officer of the Centre for Environment Education said, “As a part of Namami Gange initiative, a mass movement “Ganga Swacchata Pakhwada” was planned by the National Mission for Clean Ganga, of the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation for a fortnight between 16th March to 31st March 2017.”
“The programme envisaged to invite everyone to come together and contribute towards keeping river Ganga and its tributaries clean. The pakhwada campaign aimed at creating awareness and ownership among citizens about cleanliness and sanitation and to develop a sense of pride for the city on the banks of the river Ganga and the importance of keeping the river clean,” added Shri Patel.
Rosy Agrawal from the Ministry of Water Resources said, “Ganga and Yamuna are national heritage for all of us which needs to be conserved with the participation of all concerned stakeholders. This could be achieved by a good education and communication strategy.”
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