Pujaris, pandits, purohits located along the Yamuna in NCT of Delhi have been roped in to create awareness about keeping the river clean.
In a first of its kind, special training programme held on Monday, they underwent a training programme on the use of eco-friendly materials in packaging of prasad and biodegradable materials in the making of idols.
Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena said any attempt at rejuvenation of river Yamuna will have to essentially involve the people of Delhi, who are the biggest stakeholders in the exercise.
“In this context, they have a crucial role to play in preventing Yamuna pollution and protecting the sanctity of the river. Keeping this in mind, pujaris from all over the city had been invited for this training programme,” Saxena said.
In the training programme, the pujaris were explained about specific best practices that can help prevent pollution in Yamuna. These included, promoting the use of eco-friendly materials in religious offerings, discouraging the dumping of waste or plastic in the river, and educating people about waste management practices in temples and ashrams located on the banks of the river.
Pujaris were requested to play their part in raising awareness, promoting eco-friendly sustainable practices with local communities and other stakeholders and asked to work in tandem with Government agencies. The pujaris were asked to sensitise people about best practices aimed at preventing pollution and encourage them to follow these. They were told that people and religious institutions should strictly prohibit throwing any kind of waste, including cosmetic flowers, food, plastic, or other non-biodegradable items, into the river.
Religious rituals should be conducted using eco-friendly materials such as natural flowers, leaves and organic materials instead of plastic or other non-biodegradable materials, pujaris were told at the event.
Apart from this, pujaris were also urged to ensure that there are sufficient numbers of dustbins available on the banks of the river and these are regularly emptied.
The Lieutenant Governor, who was the chief guest of the programme, said pujaris and purohits play an important role as custodians and guides of various spiritual and cultural practices that often culminate in generation of waste which is disposed of in the Yamuna.
Such disposal causes pollution of Yamuna. Asking the priests to play the role of educators and change-makers, the Lieutenant Governor said disposal of religious materials causes pollution in the Yamuna.
Priests were requested to play their part in raising awareness with local communities and work in tandem with government agencies.
