Namami Gange, Varanasi Municipal Corporation launch cleanliness drive after floods

Namami Gange and Varanasi Municipal Corporation have launched a cleanliness drive along the Ganga and its ghats following the recent floods, with teams removing silt, puja materials and flood-related waste. More than one tonne of garbage was removed from the river at Dashashwamedh Ghat on Thursday, as officials urged people to observe Pitru Paksha by contributing to the cleanliness of the Ganga.

The Namami Gange initiative and Varanasi Municipal Corporation have stepped up cleanliness efforts along the Ganga and its ghats following the recent floods, with teams removing silt, puja materials and other waste from the river and surrounding areas. As part of the ongoing campaign, cleanliness drives are being carried out at various ghats as well as in the Ganga. Gangaputras and volunteers are removing puja materials and flood-related waste floating in the river and encouraging people to participate in keeping the river and its banks clean.

On Thursday, teams of the Municipal Corporation and Namami Gange removed more than one tonne of garbage from the Ganga at Dashashwamedh Ghat. The cleanliness drive was conducted under the coordination of Namami Gange Kashi region coordinator and Municipal Corporation cleanliness brand ambassador Rajesh Shukla. During the campaign, people were urged to pay tribute to their ancestors during Pitru Paksha by contributing to the cleanliness of the Ganga and its ghats.

Shukla said the recent floods had brought various materials into the river and that efforts were being made to remove the waste and maintain cleanliness around the ghats. He said, “After floods, various substances enter the Ganga bed and surface water, polluting it and making it dirty. We have cleaned these floating objects to maintain a clean appearance from the ghats to the river bed.”

Highlighting the impact of the floods on the ghats, Shukla said, “After the recent floods in Varanasi, all the ghats are covered in silt. This silt contains many substances that are not only polluting the Ganga but also posing a threat to the tourists visiting the river.” He said the Municipal Corporation and Namami Gange teams have therefore launched a continuous cleanliness campaign to address the impact of the floods.

During the campaign, volunteers also appealed to people to contribute to the cleanliness of the river and its surrounding areas. Apart from cleaning the ghats and banks, volunteers are motivating residents and visitors to avoid dumping waste into the Ganga. Shukla said the campaign also carried a message for Pitru Paksha, urging people to combine their traditional tribute to ancestors with efforts to protect and clean the river.

He said, “During Pitru Paksha, along with paying true tribute to our ancestors, taking a pledge to clean the Ganga ghats and water bodies is the main message of 'Tribute to ancestors through cleanliness'.” The cleanliness drive saw participation from Priyamvada Dubey, Dinesh Chaudhary, Sevi Devi, Lucky Devi, Seema Devi, Mohan, Gopal Sahni, Mahendra Sahni and Sunil Srivastava, among others.

The organisers appealed to the public to join the ongoing Shramdaan activities and contribute towards keeping the Ganga and its ghats clean in the aftermath of the floods. (ANI)