‘Promoting organic farming also focus of Ganga Yatra’
MEERUT: Deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma performed ‘Ganga Aarti; at Makhdoompur Ghat in Hastinapur on the second day of ‘Ganga Yatra’ on Tuesday.
After performing the ‘aarti’, Sharma left for Brijghat in Garhmukteshwar where he is slated to address a gathering.
Sharma was accompanied by a number of other BJP leaders, including cabinet minister Suresh Rana, energy minister Shrikant Sharma and MP Rajendra Agarwal. While interacting with the media persons, the deputy CM said, “The yatra would cover around 27 districts and make people aware about the importance of the holy river. It will also promote and renovate spiritual and religious heritage of the country.”
“We have made sure that the river remains clean and free of pollutants. We are working towards hindering the flow of sewer drainage into the river and stop dumping of polythene waste in Ganga,” said Sharma.
He claimed that 89 sewer drainages had been tracked and 25 more drainages would soon stop flowing into the river.
Apart from distribution of pension at the ghats, promotion of organic farming, eco-tourism and betterment of Ganga is the prime focus of the yatra. The ‘Ganga Yatra’ began on January 27. While chief minister Adityanath Yogi flagged it off from Bijnor, governor Pradesh Anandiben Patel flagged of the same in Ballia. Both the parts of the yatra would meet on May 31 in Kanpur.
Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, who addressed a meeting at Saidpur in Ghazipur, said Ganga descended on earth to help humanity attain salvation. “Cleanliness of the river is not only the responsibility of the government but also of the people. Those who do not have feelings for Ganga are questioning the Ganga Yatra,” he said while claiming that the yatra had created an awareness and enthusiasm among the people to keep the river clean.
Maurya said over 24 crore people from across the country took a dip of faith in Prayagraj during Kumbh. Ganga does not belong to any caste or religion, it belongs to everyone. Maurya also called upon the farmers to promote organic farming, check use of plastic and polythene. The people should also desist from performing the last rites on the banks of Ganga as it pollutes the river.
In Varanasi, Union Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for clean Ganga initiatives. The yatra was given a grand welcome at Rajwadi village where it entered Varanasi. Union skill development miniter Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, UP cabinet minister Surya Pratap Shahi, cabinet minister Anil Rajbhar, union minister Dr Neelkanth Tiwari and others attended the Ganga Aarti.