Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the Narmada Seva Mission would be continued with the support of the community. Governm-ent’s role will be an ‘associate’ in this and the community will implement the activities of Narmada seva and conservation.
The Chief Minister was addressing a Social and Environmental Justice leadership camp, organised by Tarun Bharat Sangh at Bhikampura in Alwar district of Rajasthan. Among those who were present during the programme were well-konown social worker Anna Hazare, famous environmentalist Chandiprasad Bhatt, Rajendra Singh of Tarun Bharat Sangh and experts connected with water conservation and environment management from all over the country.
Chouhan said that there has been a rapid fall in the environment of rivers in the last 3-4 decades. Deforestation and urbanisation has led to rise in water pollution and less natural flow of rivers further leading to negative influence on farming. livelihood based on jal-zameen aur jungle has also been influenced negatively. Issues like climate changes have emerged.
Giving details on the outline and objectives of Narmada Seva Yatra in the State, the Chief Minister said this yatra is to make people aware of the river environment. This yatra is to fulfill responsibility and the citizens’ duty towards water conservation. He said that the yatra will conclude on May 11 at Amarkantak, the origin of Narmada.
Chouhan said that it has become mandatory to maintain the purity, beauty and prosperity of Narmada because people of the State depend largely on it for life. He said that the Government alone cannot do this work; the community should come forward to support the cause.
With the support of the community, the campaign has turned into the world’s biggest river conservation campaign.
Further he said that the Government is taking policy based decisions. Chouhan said that no mining of any kind would be allowed on the mountains of Amarkantak and instead it will be made green. Arrangements would be made to manage the dirty water coming from nearby nullahs. The sewage water would not be allowed to merge into the Narmada at any cost. It would be taken far from the river for treatment.
Chouhan invited the participants of the camp to the historic tree plantation programme to be organised on July 2 on both the banks of the Narmada river. He invited them for the Narmada Seva Yatra concluding ceremony on May 11 at Amarkantak.