Join Hands To Save The Ganga!

[Guest guest]

The Indian environmental group, Eco Friends, is commited to saving

the sacred Ganga. Last November, the group undertook a 15-day clean-

up drive, which coincided with the festival of Kartik Purnima, to

generate awareness among the masses about the non-point sources of

pollution. "The campaign's success has encouraged our team to take on

several such cleaning operations in the near future," they say. They

are also circulating a petition to increase government interest in

saving the Ganga -- sign on their website (linked below). Here is a

report on their Ganga Clean up campaign (photos at link below):

 

The present state of river Ganga in Kanpur is dismal. Its sorry

plight can be attributed to the reckless dumping of dead bodies,

polythene bags, clay idols, human excreta, account books and floral

offerings in the holy water. The superstitious mindset of the Hindus

has contributed most to this growing pollution. Following centuries-

old tradition, these devotees on religious occasions congregate to

take a holy dip and leave behind worship materials on the ghats

(banks) and in the river water.

 

To sensitise people about these non-point sources of pollution, Eco

Friends launched a clean-up drive from November 15 to November 30

which coincided with the auspicious occasion of Kartik Purnima, a

Hindu festival when thousands of devotees follow their polluting

rituals and immerse idols and other sacred stuff in the river. Under

this campaign, the organization sought the participation of a group

of around 200 NCC cadets and the Ganga Praharis (Ganga custodians)

including fisher folk, boatmen community, mahapatras and pandas who

live along the river banks and depend on the river for their

livelihood.

 

The 15-day Ganga de-pollution drive was done in phases. The clean up

and campaigning went on simultaneously. The cleaning operation

started at Massacre Ghat and passed through Gola Ghat, (Balu Ghat and

Mishra Colony on Shuklaganj side of the river). A stretch of around

10 kilometre along the Ganga banks on both sides of the river was

covered in the entire exercise. While generating awareness in

devotees about the need to keep the Ganga clean, pamphlets were

distributed to people visiting the ghats. Through loud speakers, Eco

Friends tried to explain the devotees how synthetic colours used in

idols contaminate the river and how poly-bags littered in the river

kill the aquatic life.

 

During the campaign, the members of Eco Friends with the help of

Ganga community fished out 12 dead bodies including four from

Siddhanath Ghat and three from Gola Ghat. These were buried in sand

at the ghats itself. Eco Friends and the Ganga Praharis joined hands

to collect and safely dispose off the worship materials dumped at the

Ghats. Four boatful of clay idols and pots, 50 kilogram of flowers,

garlands and other biodegradable waste were buried in pits dug on the

ghat. Around 3.5 tones of discarded polythene bags floating on the

river was also collected. Eco Friends is trying to make arrangements

to people in the plastic recycling trade to take care of this non-

biodegrabale stuff and ensure its safe disposal.

 

Eco Friends has made a small beginning in cleaning the river Ganga.

But people who pollute the river should be stopped from doing so.

Because cleaning is not the solution to bring back the lost glory of

Ganga. The success of the campaign lies in the fact that the Ganga

Praharis have now vowed that they would not allow people to dump

anything at the ghats from now on. They have also made it a point to

spread net to prevent any waste entering into the mainstream. The

community has decided to set up sign boards and hoarding to create

awareness about the river pollution among devotees.

 

Source: http://www.ecofriends.org/reports/005rptkartik.htm