Ganga Action took part in a three-day international seminar on the pollution of rivers and steps for rejuvenation of the River Yamuna. The event was held from 18-20th April at the Indian Habitat Center in New Delhi. It was organized by the Institute of Applied Systems and Rural Development (IASRD) in collaboration with ASSOCHAM & Russian Federation ‘PSK IVKA’ Ltd, Moscow. H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, Founder of Ganga Action, was the Chief Guest.
In His inaugural speech, Pujya Swamiji extended a warm welcome to the entire team from Russia who had come to offer their working solutions in water management as well as sludge treatment & utilization. He expressed His deep admiration, on behalf of all the participants, for their willingness to transcend cultural and geographical barriers to serve as a true international bridge of support in this moment of crisis for many of India’s rivers.
The crisis, well known to many, includes the tragic condition of the River Yamuna, which is now commonly referred to as a dying river. The 22-km long stretch of Yamuna in Delhi from Wazirabad to Okhla barrage is the most polluted stretch of the riverbed. At this stretch, nearly 1,900 million litres per day (mld) of sewage are dumped. Today, most people who live in Delhi who cross the bridge over the Yamuna daily to go to work cannot but look away from the black, filthy and malodorous water body that was once India’s pride.
Pujya Swamiji urged that while the situation and the facts are grave and tragic, the presence of the Joint Secretary of Ministry of Environment and Forests, Shri Ajay Tyagiji, among other delegates, was a welcome sign. He said that while our governing officials were trying to do their parts, they would not be able to do it alone. Pujya Swamiji urged everyone that it was time to put an end to criticizing the system, but rather to be part of the system and thereby change the system for the better.
He also said that today we can not blame anyone else for the crisis of our polluted waters but ourselves, so we must pledge to collectively be part of the solution. While there are grand plans, such as the Ganga Action Plans and Yamuna Action Plans, which are part of the long-term solution, there must also be a ground plan – a People’s Action Plan. We all – even if we are just simply housewives, children, working people or retired – can take an active part in being an integral part of such a solution.
He explained that today’s need was really one of social engineering and expanding our sense of ‘mine-ness.’ Today, we are ready to die to protect our houses and our property, but if we could expand this spirit to our streets, our villages/cities, and to our rivers and our country…the positive change would be immediate. This, He says, remains the real challenge for us all.
Pujya Swamiji elaborated that the seminar was a wonderful step to keep bringing people together as a global Ganga and Yamuna family. This seminar did just that, as it brought together governmental officials, scientists, scholars, community members, and school children to become educated and to stay connected to their growing and thriving family in the name of India’s most sacred rivers.
