Uttarakhand Governor KK Paul laid stress on developing a vision to conserve Ganga and keep the holy river clean from Gaumukh to Ganga Sagar while speaking at a programme held at Raj Bhawan on Saturday.
Namami Gange project is a mission for every Indian, he said while asking one and all to develop a mindset to conserve Ganga and keep it clean from the source to the place it merges in Bay of Bengal.
He had earlier flagged off the five-day Namami Gange Trek from Gangotri to Tapovan (via Gaumukh) organised jointly by the State Project Management Group and Nehru Mountaineering Institute, Uttarakashi on October 10.
The trek was organised to enhance awareness of the need to keep Ganga clean. Policy makers, peoples’ representatives, scientists, teachers, students and media persons aside from the administrators participated in the trek. The teams carried out plantations and cleanliness drives and also organised programmes to take the “Ganga Shapath” and to deliberate over conserving Ganga.
Governor said that the Namami Gange should not remain confined within the Centre and the State Governments. “It must turn into a mission for all the Indians. The Ganga, besides having a cultural and spiritual dimension, is playing an important role in the Country’s economy.
It has sustained people for centuries. This is why it is called Maa Ganga,” he said, adding that Namami Gange includes cleaning, resolving the problem of solid waste, building toilets, setting up treatment plants, modernising the crematoriums, improving the ghats, checking industrial pollution and boosting plantation.
Governor further said that though Ganga flows in North India it is venerated by the people across the country. “It unites us in one thread. We must make efforts to rejuvenate it,” Dr Paul said.
“Devbhumi Uttarakhand is like the Ganga’s parental home and the responsibility of people of the State towards the Ganga is thus greater. This awareness must be converted into implementation,” he said and stressed on more such treks being organised involving more students.