As part of the ongoing Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS), 2023 campaign and taking inspiration from Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s clarion call for ‘Ek Tareekh Ek Ghanta Ek Saath’, the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR) along with National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) organized a cleanliness drive at Chhath Ghat, ITO on the eve of Gandhi Jayanti. The Secretary, DoWR, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Ms. Debashree Mukherjee, Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga, Shri G. Asok Kumar along with senior officials participated in the cleanliness drive that began at 10 AM. A Swachhata Pledge was administered to the gathering and participants were also sensitized about the importance of clean rivers through nukkad natak on the ghat. Around 1000 people joined the drive and more than 6000 kilogram of waste was collected.

Ms. Debashree Mukherjee said that the involvement of communities is crucial to ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ campaign and several NGOs, youth groups, children participating in the event is inspiring. She added that the organizations under Ministry of Jal Shakti are participating in this event, led by NMCG.

Mr. Asok Kumar, DG, NMCG said that the event is being organized as part of the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ campaign that will culminate 2^nd October 2023 on Gandhi Jayanti which will be observed as Swachh Bharat Divas across the country. He informed that cleanliness drives, nukkad nataks, cultural events etc. under Namami Gange and Arth Ganga were organized in the past few days along the ghats of River Ganga and its tributaries in the Ganga Basin states as part of this campaign to make cleanliness a mass movement. “It is the duty of each one of us to keep our rivers and water bodies clean,” he said. Shri Kumar said that this is also part of the Clean Yamuna campaign being run by NMCG for the 22 km Delhi stretch from the past one-and-a-half year.

The organizations of the Ministry of Jal Shakti including National Water Mission, Central Water Commission, Central Groundwater Board, CSMRS, NWDA etc. also took part in the cleanliness drive. Officials from Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), volunteers from NGOs Tree Craze, YSS, SYA, YPF, FOY, Paryavaran Sanrakshan, Bharatiyam, Saksham Bhoomi Foundation, school and college students, volunteers from Ganga Vichar Manch also joined hands with NMCG to make the event successful. The focus during the drive remained on freeing the ghat from any kind of solid waste. A similar cleanliness drive was also organised by NGOs at Kalindi Kunj ghat in South Delhi.

Similar events were also organised along the ghats of River Ganga and its tributaries along the Ganga Basin. Ganga Praharis, Ganga Mitras, Ganga Doots, students, officials from district administration, local people etc. took part in the cleanliness drives as part of Swachhta Hi Sewa campaign. The events are being organised throughout the period of the Swachhta Hi Sewa campaign in states through District Ganga Committees, the district-level arm of NMCG. Ganga Task Force (GTF) also participated in the events Prayagraj, Varanasi and Kanpur. Swachhta Hi Sewa drives were also undertaken at the Namami Gange Sewage Treatment Plants (Nirmal Jal Kendras) premises in the Ganga Basin by the executing agencies.

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Anubhav Singh

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