Acting on the announcement made earlier, Swami Gyan Swaroop Sanand would give up water from Tuesday noon. Meanwhile, his fast unto death demanding maintenance of uninterrupted flow and cleanliness of Ganga and framing a new law to save the holy river, has entered its 109th day on the day. The scientist- turned-saint had declared that he would leave body to save Ganga by shunning water from October 9 (Ashwin Amavasya) in case his demands are not met by then.
Speaking to The Pioneer on Monday, Swami Shivanand, founder of Matri Sadan, the site where the crusader for Ganga has been on fast, said, “Swami Sanand would stop taking water from 2 pm tomorrow. He is taking lime water now and it would also stop from tomorrow.” Slamming the Government for its indifference, he said that none of the Government officials has cared to come to end the fast. “We are now convinced that the country needs sacrifice. Earlier, Swami Nigamananda Saraswati sacrificed his life in his fight against illegal mining activity in Ganga. More sacrifices are in the offing to break the slumber of the nonchalant Government,” he said and added that he himself would start fasting after Navratri for the same cause.
Notably, Sanand had begun his fasting by restricting himself to drinking limewater on the occasion of Ganga Dushehra on June 22.
He had demanded the Centre to go for an immediate passage of a special legislation meant to save Ganga in the Parliament. Besides, he had demanded illegal mining be restrained on the holy river.
Another demand he had raised when he embarked on the fasting stir was scrapping of the hydro power projects and construction works along Alaknanda, Mandakini, Pinder, Dhauliganga, Bhagirathi and some other rivers.
Moreover, he had demanded induction of the persons truly committed to the cause of Ganga in the Ganga-related board.
Mention worthy, the indefinite fast launched by the former IITian Sanand had resulted in the suspension of the Lohari Nag Pala Hydropower Project in 2009.
Around a month ago, the Union Minister Uma Bharti had assured Sanand that a bill on Ganga was set to be tabled in the Parliament to ensure the holy river’s unimpeded flow. She had asked the ascetic to end his fast. However, he had not agreed, citing absence of certain provisions in the draft.
Reaffirming the Centre’s commitment to maintain the sanctity of the holy river, Uma Bharti had said that the Ganga Act would be brought in the Parliament during the winter session this year and asserted that the Government had met the saint’s demands. She had even offered to facilitate talks between Sanand and the Union Minister for Ganga rejuvenation Nitin Gadkari over telephone. However, the ice had not thawed even then.
It may be mentioned here that Sanand had been forcefully lifted the fasting site in Matri Sadan and admitted at AIIMS Rishikesh by the district administration in July. A few days later, he had returned to Matri Sadan and resumed his stir.