The Namami Devi Narmade Seva Yatra covered a distance of 3,266 km, completing 142 days, on May 9. A total of 24.06 lakh people participated in 1014 jan-samvads held during the yatra to generate awareness about Narmada river conservation.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan participated in jan-samvads at 47 places during the yatra.
The people are being explained about the importance of plantation, cleanliness on banks, not to immerse materials in the river to make the river flow incessant besides de-addiction and Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao etc.
Positive results of yatra have already started emerging. There are 200 such persons who are accompanying the yatra with devotion and faith considering it as a mission since its beginning 5 months ago. As many as 565 eminent personalities of different fields have participated in yatra till date.
Narmada Seva Yatra started from Amarkantak on December 11 is on the verge of completion in district Anuppur. It has covered 615 gram panchayats, 1014 villages and 51 blocks. The main yatra was joined by 1843 up-yatras. Besides, about 80,000 persons registered themselves on the website of Narmada Seva.
A total of 40 thousand saplings have been planted till date in a symbolic form during the yatra. As many as 2032 social and voluntary organizations are cooperating in meals and other arrangements for yatris. A total of 712 Narmada Seva Committees have been formed in gram panchayats situated on the banks of river Narmada.
It may be mentioned that Narmada Seva Mission was constituted by the state government on March 2017 for conservation of Narmada river. Also a River, Water and Environment Manthan was organised on May 8 to prepare an action plan in this regard. About 200 water, forest and environment experts took part in the manthan.
Moreover, 166 bio-diversity management committees have been formed in 16 districts situated on the banks of Narmada river. A plan set up one bio-diversity management committee in each village is also under way.