Pilgrims join locals in cleaning Ganga ghats

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, July 30

Ganga ghats of Pantdeep Rodibelwala in the mela zone were cleaned here today as part of a cleanliness drive being carried out under the aegis of the Maa Ganga Aahwan Akhada for the 18th consecutive week.

Social activists, local residents, traders, pilgrims and tourists are taking part in the weekly cleanliness drive. As a result, the once unclean ghats on this stretch now look cleaner.Coordinator of the drive Rameshwar said now local traders were also lending support by putting up garbage bins outside their shops. “Seeing us cleaning the Ganga ghats and adjacent areas, pilgrims and tourists are joining us and cleaning the area. The Ganga is not confined to one city or state, it has been given the status of mother, and hence it is the duty of all to ensure its sanctity and purity,” said Rameshwar.

Social activist JP Baduni urged people, saints, seers, teerth purohits and administration officials to come forward and contribute to the cleaning of the Ganga.

Citing the Agreement of 1916 between Ganga Sabha, Indian dynastic rulers and the British India Viceroy, Maa Ganga Aahwan Akhada representative Ajay Sharma said it was enacted during the British era to ensure the sanctity and consistent flow of the Ganga it was being grossly violated.

Kamlesh Pant, Mayur Gaud, Manish Joshi, Happy Sharma, Rajendra Joshi, Vinay Sharma and members of the Maa Bhagirathi Laghu Vyapari Kalyankari Samiti, Rodibelwala, Monu Tomar, Amrti Lal, Munna Thakur, Shiv Kumar, Prem Pal Yadav, Raju Jaiswal, Mintu Yadav, Anik Kumar, Rahul Kancha, Dr Deepak Sharma, and Krishan Kant took part in the cleanliness drive.