By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 27 Dec: Rajeev Kumar Mittal, Director General, Namami Gange, attended a programme, today, organised by HESCO.
He was welcomed by Dr Anil Joshi, who stated that Namami Gange scheme is now moving towards a new direction. He emphasised that it is time to connect the villages along the banks of the Ganga with economic uplift. He also suggested that, for the villages benefiting from the blessings of the Ganga, there is a need to direct science and technology in a new way. Dr Joshi stressed that now is the time to strengthen the initiative of working together with communities under the Namami Gange Project.
The Director General expressed great satisfaction and appreciation for the work carried out under the programme. He said that the biggest challenge for Namami Gange would be to engage the people in this campaign and move it forward. The greatest strength of the Ganga lies within the common people and villages. Organising these communities and making them a part of the campaign is, both, a new direction and a challenge.
Rajeev Mittal praised the experiments related to water, forest, and land, stating that such efforts could bring the Ganga’s flow to the level that is most needed today.
During the programme, various organisations from Jharkhand, Bihar, and Uttarakhand displayed their work. The exhibition included efforts related to gharat flour, plastic alternatives, resource enhancement, and fruit preservation. These initiatives impressed the Director General.
He said that such efforts are crucial for making the country prosperous and self-reliant. A proposal was made to integrate the concept of “Ganga Bhog” with temples and extend it on a larger scale to provide a new direction for the Namami Gange programme.
Mittal also announced that a meeting would be organised soon to plan the application of these water, forest, and land-related efforts in other regions. At the end of the programme, representatives from Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Uttarakhand shared their thoughts, and they were warmly welcomed.
