By IANS,
New Delhi : Hundreds of protesters gathered at the capital’s protest hotspot Jantar Mantar Monday, demanding the government initiate quick action to clean up the Ganga and Yamuna rivers.
The protest was organised under the banner of ‘Ganga Bachao Andolan’ (Save Ganga Movement). The protesters were associated with Haridwar-based Bhuma Niketan Ashram, among others.
“Government has spent almost 10 lakh crore rupees on the Commonwealth games. It constructed luxury flats on the banks of Yamuna which are now priced at Rs.7 crore so why can’t government spend money for cleaning Ganga and Yamuna,” a protester Govind Rao said.
“Yamuna is so clean and pure from the starting journey but after coming to Delhi it becomes very dirty but still the government has failed to do anything about it,” he told IANS.
According to the protesters, 70 percent of the country’s population lives on the banks of two rivers and their tributaries. Claiming that the government has failed to recognise the gravity of the issue. The protesters had earlier marched from Rajghat to Jantar Mantar, raisng the slogans for cleaning up the rivers.
“Government has taken some action but purification of Ganga is too far to dream of,” said Manjari Sharma from Allahabad.
“We are here to generate awareness amongst the people of Delhi and make them realize the importance of Ganga,” another protestor Anuradha claimed.
Fellow protestor Ranjeet Kapoor from Banras urged the youth to join the movement. Actor Mukesh Khanna also participated in the protest.