Ganga Action Parivar, Parmarth Niketan, Sarva Dharma Sansad, Green Pilgrimage Network, The Clean Ganga Initiative, World Conscious Pact and many other organizations inaugurated a two-day National Workshop to find and implement innovative and effective solutions and suggestions to address the challenges that face the National River Ganga. The workshop was led by H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, founder of Ganga Action Parivar and President of Parmarth Niketan, who has been working tirelessly for over a decade to bring together all different sectors of society to address the crucial human and ecological crisis our nation faces with our over-exploited and over-polluted sacred River Ganga.
Ganga Action Parivar and Parmarth Niketan had earlier this year spent nearly two months in the Kumbha Mela (Allahabad) raising awareness amongst the masses about thinking and acting in a way that is in line with a cleaner and greener future.
Pujya Swami Chidanandji explained:, “The Kumbha Mela festival, attracting the largest gathering of the world, cannot become a green camp overnight but at least year by year we can implement more and more green initiatives.”
With a strong belief that by bringing people together, including scientists, members of the government, organizations or spiritual and religious leaders from all the world’s top religions, this world Ganga family is gaining momentum and reaching out to connect everyone. For example, Ganga Action Parivar hosted a huge international event dedicated to Environmental Preservation for World Peace on 3rd November 2012.
This particular two-day workshop brought together some of the most eminent and dedicated experts, scientists, and professionals to address critical issues faced in the waste-water solid waste, agriculture, energy and ecological management of the Ganga River Basin (GRB). By coming together all sectors of society are committing to taking the first steps to making the GRB clean and green once again.
Amongst those present were Dr. Vinod Tareji, Coordinator of Ganga River Basin Ecological Management Plan (GRBEMP)- executed by the consortium of seven IITs under the NGRBA and an esteemed professor from IIT Kanpur who stated: , “What our nation needs today is a paradigm shift where our sewage and toilet waste is not seen as useless but converted into a resource that can help us meet our much needed energy demands. In this way our nation’s greatest challenge can become our greatest strength.”
Shri Paritosh Tyagiji, Former Chairman Control Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said: “We must take a fresh approach regarding the way we understand our rivers not just as water bodies but as living entities that have their own rights to flow freely and unpolluted, thereby preventing and abating any type of pollution or obstruction to these sacred and complex living ecological entities.”
Also present, Shri RP Sharmaji, Former Joint Secretary of the Rajiv Gandhi Mission and CEO of Mokshda expressed: “The states and various stakeholders sharing the river bodies have to come together as one to address these challenges as the Centre can only be successful if each one owns up and takes their social responsibility to address a challenge which will soon threaten our very existence.”
Ms. Niharika Singh, Former Ms. India Earth, an ardent supporter of the preserve Ganga movement, also participated in the workshop and pledged her commitment to the vital cause saying: “These sacred rivers are the very lifeblood of Mother Earth, without which the planet would be like a body without blood or like lungs without fresh oxygen.”
The purpose and the objective of the workshop was to come up with a list of suggestions of what can be done to protect Mother Ganga and Her tributaries, including:
- – the implementation of a comprehensive plan and policy to completely segregate river from sewage,
- – the maintenance of unobstructed free-flow in the river, sustaining the qualities of its aviral dhara,
- – the establishment of National Ganga River Act protecting the River’s Rights as Human Rights, deeming certain parameters within the river bed as eco-sensitive zones to be developed as green belts with tree plantation, organic farming and with a concept of hut and river culture, reviving people’s relationship with their natural surroundings.
The Ganga Action Parivar experts, inspired, guided and led by Pujya Swami Chidanandji will present the suggestions in a letter to the Honourable Prime Minister of India, Honourable Minister of Water Resources, and Honourable Minister of Environment and Forests and all other concerned central and state governing bodies urging them to act now before it is too late.
As Pujya Swamiji reminded the gathering of scientists and experts: “India can only thrive if Ganga thrives. If Ganga dies then India dies.”
