Social activists working for the cause of River Ganga would organise ‘Ganga-Aviralata Chintan Yatra’ from April 5 to 7 to create awareness among the masses and seek their support, protesting against report of Inter-Ministerial Group which they call a plan of commercial exploitation of the river Ganga.

Interacting with the mediapersons, Hemant Dhyani of Ganga Ahwan said, “Recommendation in almost completed report of Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) constituted to study the effect of hydropower projects on the river are inclined towards commercial exploitation of the river, instead of keeping its interest.”

Dhyani said the report literally ignores the environmental hazards would come to the fore after construction of the hydropower projects. But in the name of requirement of energy, the IMG’s recommendations are talking about 60 per cent utilisation of the river that would incur heavy damage to the river.

He said social activists would not tolerate it and would launch an awareness campaign against the report by carrying out the Yatra. Starting from Matra Sadan, Haridwar on April 5, the yatra would pass through Tehri, Koteshwar, Srinagar, Dhari Devi, Rudraprayag, Agustmuni, Joshimath and Vishnuprayag. It would culminate in Dehradun on April 7.

Dhyani defined the report as a plan to attack on flora and fauna of the locals. Sushila Bhandari of Kedarghati Sangharsha Samiti said that the power projects are destroying flora and fauna of the State. These are also causing environmental imbalance. “We are going on the yatra to draw attention of the people so that they could join us in our struggle to save the river Ganga,” Bhandari said. She appealed the people for joining the yatra in large number so that it could become a huge success. “We want to save the river and our efforts would be continued,” she said.