E-Paper
Sadhus want Ganga pollution free
RELIGIOUS HINDU leaders including sadhus, sanyasis, dandi swamis and saints are joining hands to launch a massive movement to ensure the smooth flow of the Ganga and to mount pressure on government for making the holy river free from pollution. A grand convention of sadhus, sanyasis and dandi swamis will be organised here in Varanasi on May 16. This convention will be organised under the banner of ?Ma Ganga Pradushan Mukti Abhiyan Samiti-India,? .
RELIGIOUS HINDU leaders including sadhus, sanyasis, dandi swamis and saints are joining hands to launch a massive movement to ensure the smooth flow of the Ganga and to mount pressure on government for making the holy river free from pollution. A grand convention of sadhus, sanyasis and dandi swamis will be organised here in Varanasi on May 16. This convention will be organised under the banner of ‘Ma Ganga Pradushan Mukti Abhiyan Samiti-India,’ which was formed during Magh Mela-2006 in Allahabad.
During the Magh Mela, religious and spiritual leaders had decided not to take bath in the Ganga due to pollution. But this time, they gave an ultimatum to the government to ensure cleanliness of the Ganga along with adequate flow till ‘Ardh Kumbh Magh Mela-2007’ in Pryag (Allahabad).
Coordinator of Samiti Kamlesh Rai, Dandi Swami Vimal Dewashramjee Maharaj (president of Dandi Swami), Dandi Swami Bramhashram Jee Maharaj and Dandi Swami Shankarashram jee Maharaj of Hariyana, Narayan Guru and Shivkumar Shukla demanded that government should declare the Ganga as a ‘national heritage’.
They said the flow of the Ganga was stopped at Tehri dam and to ensure a smooth flow of teh Ganga water, the Tehri dam authorities should release more than 7000 cubic square cm of Ganga water from the dam. They said crores of rupees had been spent for cleanliness of the Ganga, but in vain.
“The pollution is increasing in the Ganga day by day and several factories and industries established in the adjoining areas of Ganga, are dumping waste water into the river,” they said and added if the government did not ensure cleanliness and adequate flow of Ganga water till Ardhkumbha Mela-2007 in Allahabad, they would launch a massive movement close on the heels of ‘Go-Raksha Andolan’.
Sadhus said as part of their ongoing public awareness campaign, they would organise a grand convention at the Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi on May 16 in which a large number of sadhus across the country would ensure their participation.
“Jagat Guru Shankaracharya Swami Vasudevananad Sarswati will be the chief guest, while Swami Narendrananad Sarswati, Shri Bhavani Nandan Yati, 1008 and Swami Hari Chatanya Bramhchari will address the convention”, they informed. They said that a grand Shobhayatra would be taken out in Varanasi before the convention.
