Ganga Sewaks, Cong members mark National river anniversary with cleanliness drive

Ganga sewak Rajesh Shukla said that Maa Ganga was not merely a river but a living symbol of India’s faith, culture and civilisation

: Ganga sewaks appealed to the public to keep the National River Ganga clean on November 4 to mark the anniversary of its declaration as a National River. They expressed gratitude to the river, which connects the country, by organising a cleanliness drive along its banks.

Cleanliness drive underway (Sourced)

Rajesh Shukla, Namami Gange convener for the Kashi region and cleanliness brand ambassador of Varanasi Nagar Nigam, led the special drive along with Ganga sewaks Dr Pramod Kumar Pandey, Vinod Singh, Ramashankar Pandey, Lallan Pandey, Ram Singh, Usha Singh, Pushpa Tiwari, Stupta Chatterjee and Amit Pandey. They removed waste from the riverbank and spread awareness about environmental protection and the importance of keeping the Ganga clean.

Ganga sewak Rajesh Shukla said that Maa Ganga was not merely a river but a living symbol of India’s faith, culture and civilisation. He urged people to preserve and protect it. He also highlighted the river’s importance as a source of livelihood for millions through agriculture, irrigation, fisheries, animal husbandry, river-based trade and tourism.

Meanwhile, Congress members performed ‘Dugdhabhishek’, a ritual offering of milk, to Maa Ganga at Sheetla Ghat. They prayed for the river’s cleanliness, purity and uninterrupted flow. Seva Dal office-bearer Pramod Pandey said that on November 5, 2008, the government led by then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh took the historic decision to declare the Ganga a National River. The move recognised the river’s cultural, spiritual and historical importance. Since then, Congress members in Varanasi have regularly performed Dugdhabhishek at Sheetla Ghat and prayed for the river’s purity, cleanliness and uninterrupted flow.

City congress president Raghvendra Chaubey said that the Ganga was not just a river but the foundation of faith, culture and the lives of millions of Indians. He said the Congress government had given the river national recognition by declaring it a National River during Dr Manmohan Singh’s tenure. Chaubey stressed that government announcements alone could not ensure the river’s cleanliness. He said concrete action, public participation and a sense of responsibility were necessary to protect and preserve the Ganga.