NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, JULY 31
Atulya Ganga, a team of 100 ex-military officers devoted to reviving river Ganga’s pristine nature, who earlier announced a walk along the banks of the Ganges from Haridwar to Gomukh, Gangasagar and back to Haridwar, in what they claim was world’s first-ever Mundaman Parikrama. Earlier, the walk was to begin in August this year but put off following the outbreak of coronavirus pandmic. Organisations like Google and premium education institutes like IIT Delhi are also partners of Army veterans in the journey, says Hiren Patel, Gujarat-based farmer, and the national coordinator of Atulya Ganga said.
Elaborating on this initiative, Hiren Patel, who will lead a three-member team from Gujarat, “During the journey, the group will examine all points such as pollution levels and water flow in the Ganges river. Geotagging will also be done. ‘Mundaman Parikrama’ will kickstart on November 26 at Rishikesh and take around seven months to complete by June 2021, during which the veterans plan to hold public meetings to mobilise the participation of more people, especially students, living along the river towards the cause that has both environmental and religious significance.”
The team will cover 25 to 30 kilometres daily during this holy yatra and will create awareness among the masses to change the dirty Ganga into the original deity Ganga. Their aim is to cover at least 2 lakh schools situated on the Ganga’s banks and organize over 200 public meetings during their ‘Mundaman Ganga Parikrama’. Not only Ganga but all rivers in the country have to be made pollution-free, Patel added.
