PM calls for volunteer groups to protect Ganga

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for a volunteer corps called Ganga Seva (Ganga Service) to be set up to create awareness about protecting the holy river.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for a volunteer corps called Ganga Seva (Ganga Service) to be set up to create awareness about protecting the holy river. Chairing the first high-level meeting on “Namaami Gange”, an integrated plan, where key Cabinet members took part, Modi suggested that such teams be entrusted and assigned specific stretches of the river.

The meeting was attended by urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu, shipping minister Nitin Gadkari, water resources minister Uma Bharati, environment minister Prakash Javdekar and minister of state for finance Nirmala Sitharaman.

Modi called for “mass movement” for Ganga rejuvenation, apart from specific action plans to unite the strength of various sections of society “dedicated to Ganga Seva”.

He said the first priority should be “Nirmal Ganga” or a clean Ganga, an official statement said, which involved stopping fresh generation of pollutants.

Modi also called for public-private partnerships to manage solid-waste management and waste water management in 500 towns across India. The first priority under this vision should be given to towns along the banks of the Ganga, he said.

Modi also said suggestions from people on the MyGov website should be carefully studied.