A Hindu saint, Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati of Jyotirmath on Thursday (June 14) said that he would be participating in the procession for the clean River Ganga campaign, which would conclude in New Delhi on June 18.
"The Hindu saint, who is fasting to save Ganga is also accompanying us. This journey would include places like Prayag, Kanpur,Agra, Mathura (cities of north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh), Palwal (city of Haryana), would reach Delhi on June 17th and would participate in Ganga Mukti Mahasangram (a campaign to save River Ganga) being conducted at Jantar Mantar on June 18th," said Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati.
Environmental activist Lakshmi Mani Shashtri led the procession on Thursday that included nearly 250 vehicles.
Earlier in the day, saints and priests performed Hindu rituals and sought blessings of Hindu goddess Ganga.
Hundreds of supporters thronged at the bank of River Ganga to show solidarity to the genuine cause.
Meanwhile, a supporter of clean river Ganga campaign, Mohammad Abaas highlighted the significance of holy River Ganga, which served as lifeline for millions of people across the country.
"Millions of people in this country depend on River Ganga. God had first created water in the world followed by man. Water is the basic requirement of the people across the world. Everybody including birds and animals in this world needs water. Through water we get vegetables, fruits and grains. But today, this basic requirement is being taken away from us. We are ready to give whatever sacrifices that would be required," said Mohammad Abaas.
Reportedly, a Hindu saint, Shri Jagat Guru Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati Ji Maharaj of Dwarka-Shardapeeth would also participate in the campaign.
In recent years, rising pollution in River Ganga has raised concern among people.
Nowadays, scores of non-governmental and social organisations are coming forward to show solidarity for the genuine cause of clean River Ganga campaign.
The major problem faced by this prime river of India is that over 90 percent of its water has been used by hydro electric projects and, barrages besides plethora of unlawful activities.
Apart from the shrinking river, the accumulation of silt deposit and garbage along the banks has worried the environmentalists despite millions of rupees being spent on the River Ganga Action Plan.
Earlier, environmental activist G D Aggarwal undertook fast-unto-death as a mark of protest against the government's apathy towards the worsening condition of the River Ganga.
In 2011, the federal government approved a $1 billion loan from the World Bank, to fund an eight-year project to clean the River Ganga, in particular the large stretches heavily polluted by industrial effluents and domestic waste.
The 2,510-kilometre-long river that runs from a glacier in the western Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh supports over 400 million of India's 1.2 billion populations.
Hindu saints along with several environmental activists begin a four-day procession in India's northern Uttar Pradesh state to create awareness among the masses about the need to clean River Ganga and ensure that it flows without any interruption.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL
VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (JUNE 14, 2012) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)
1. HINDU SAINT, SWAMI AVIMUKTESHWARANAND SARASWATI OF JYOTIRMATH, WALKING DOWNSTAIRS ALONG WITH ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST LAKSHMI MANI SHASHTRI
2. SWAMI AVIMUKTESHWARANAND AND SHASHTRI WALKING DOWNSTAIRS
3. GATHERING OF PEOPLE AT THE BANK OF RIVER GANGA
4. SHASHTRI PERFORMING A HINDU RITUAL
5. PEOPLE STANDING
6. SWAMI AVIMUKTESHWARANAND AND SHASHTRI, STANDING ALONG WITH OTHER PEOPLE NEAR THE BANK OF RIVER GANGA
7. PEOPLE STANDING
8. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) A HINDU SAINT, SWAMI AVIMUKTESHWARANAND SARASWATI OF JYOTIRMATH, SAYING:
"The Hindu saint, who is fasting to save Ganga is also accompanying us. This journey would include places like Prayag, Kanpur,Agra, Mathura (cities of north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh), Palwal (city of Haryana), would reach Delhi on June 17th and would participate in Ganga Mukti Mahasangram (a campaign to save River Ganga) being conducted at Jantar Mantar on June 18th."
9. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) A SUPPORTER OF CLEAN RIVER GANGA CAMPAIGN, MOHAMMAD ABAAS, SAYING:
"Millions of people in this country depend on River Ganga. God had first created water in the world followed by man. Water is the basic requirement of the people across the world. Everybody including birds and animals in this world needs water. Through water we get vegetables, fruits and grains. But today, this basic requirement is being taken away from us. We are ready to give whatever sacrifices that would be required."
10. SWAMI AVIMUKTESHWARANAND AND SHASHTRI STANDING ALONG WITH OTHER PEOPLE
11. SWAMI AVIMUKTESHWARANAND WALKING ALONG WITH OTHER PEOPLE
12. SWAMI AVIMUKTESHWARANAND SEEN WITH OTHER PEOPLE
13. A BUS MOVING
14. VEHICLES CARRYING ACTIVISTS MOVING
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