Uttarakhand leads Jan Andolan for clean rivers in India

Urban local bodies in Uttarakhand organized the ‘Clean Rivers: An Opportunity for Better Tomorrow’ river cleaning drive on World River Day on 24 September under the SHS campaign.

The state of Uttarakhand took the Jan Andolan lead for clean rivers and a safe future by running a cleanliness drive across all water sources in the state. Swachhata Pakhwada- Swachhata Hi Seva 2023 campaign was launched by the government of India to invite large-scale public participation and mobilisation to carry out cleanliness drives at public places, conduct sanitation drives during the fortnight-long event to propel the nation’s Swachhata dream under the Swachh Bharat Mission.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the 105th episode of his Mann Ki Baat programme, has also called on the countrymen to join the Ek Tareekh, Ek Ghanta, Ek Sath cleanliness drive at 10 am on 1st October 2023. Meanwhile, the people have reciprocated the government’s efforts and have galvanized the movement of Swachhata in large numbers. So far, over 7 crore citizens have joined the Swacchata Hi Seva campaign.

Rivers form the primary source of fresh water and thus are essential to sustain human life.

Taking a cue from this campaign, urban local bodies in Uttarakhand organized the ‘Clean Rivers: An Opportunity for Better Tomorrow’ river cleaning drive on World River Day on 24 September under the SHS campaign.

Under the campaign, citizen volunteers from across the state joined forces and carried out cleanliness and awareness drives at river ghats and banks, Amrit Sarovars, Nallahs, lakes, and other sources of water till 7 in the evening. During this time frame, people cleaned up the garbage at 22 rivers and water bodies of local as well as national importance including Bhagirathi, Alaknanda, Nandakini, Ramganga, and Saryu rivers.

The sanitation drives were a collective success resulting in the cleaning of over 100 Garbage Vulnerable Points (GVPs), placing/replacing nets in over 60 drains falling into rivers, installation of twin bins at over 375 spots, over 2000 kgs of wet waste and over 6,200 kgs of dry waste being collected with more than 10,000 citizen volunteers participating in the initiative. On this occasion, cycle rallies were held in Dehradun and Bageshwar, wherein youth and other citizens engaged with the campaign in large numbers.

The main objective of this campaign was to make the youth and citizens aware about the importance of rivers, to free the rivers from garbage and to clean the rivers and keep their flow uninterrupted. So, a better tomorrow can be ensured to the new generation through these clean rivers.

Since most of the rivers originate in Uttarakhand, the responsibility of the citizens here is far greater to contribute fully in keeping their rivers clean and uninterrupted right from their source.