The Uttarakhand Governor KK Paul has categorically said that we are proud of BSF for taking initiative to protect the environment besides creating a first line of defence to protect the borders of the country. This initiative to protect the Ganges was appreciable. The efforts to make villagers on the banks of the Ganga aware of the need to keep it clean would help greatly. Tourists, pilgrims and shopkeepers were being made aware too to keep the Ganga clean as it was our religious, natural and cultural heritage.
“The Ganga was not just a river. We call it Maa Ganga and have great faith and respect for it. People take the oath by the name of Ganga to prove their innocence,” he said. The Ganga has an important place in our religious, cultural and social rituals–right from a person’s birth to his death”. He made this view while appreciating the “Clean Ganges, Save Ganges” mission that has been started by the BSF in the centenary year of KF Rustamji, the founder of BSF and its former director general. He said Rustamji had an impressive personality and was a successful police official. He said that the challenge cup and the clean Ganga mission were fitting tributes to his memory.
“The Ganga must thus be cleaned of polythenes, garbage and waste from homes, hotels and other commercial units. We must resolve to keep it pure and unpolluted. We must resolve to make the Ganga clean and pure so that it reaches other parts of the country from Uttarakhand in a very pure form,” Governor further added.
Paul also gave away prizes to the winners of the Rustamji BSF White Water rafting Challenge Cup 2016 at the closing ceremony of the challenge cup on Wednesday. The challenge had two events. In the 20 km white water rafting marathon, ITBP stood first, Seema Suraksha Bal (BSF) was second and Uttarakhand Police was third. In the 500 metres sprint event, ITBP’s B team came first, BSF was second and ITBP’s A team stood third.
He recalled many incidents and memories realted to Rustamji on the occasion including the time when Rustamji received Padmabhushan and Padma Vibhushan. The two-day challenge was organized by BSF Institute of Adventure and Advanced Training, Doiwala. The institute also organised the awareness campaign regarding Clean Ganges, Save Ganges.
ADG (BSF-Headquarters) AP Maheshwari,former DG Subhash Joshi ,ADG (Uttarakhand) Ashok Kumar, Raj Kumar Negi, Commandant of the Institute of Adventure and Advanced Training and several officers of the institute were present.
Officials of Uttarakhand tourism, jawans of BSF, teams of ITBP, BSF and State Police, students of various schools and colleges ,Cadets of NCC (scouts and guides) ,and other guests.