The Utthan Samiti aim to make this world a better place. The organisation has always stepped in to control environmental pollution and preserve the natural environment of the river.
Moved by the plight of those dwelling along the banks of Yamuna, the organisation members treated the wastes discharged into the river.
Under the ‘Clean, Green and Educated India’ program, the drive was initiated by the organisation. The organisation aimed to involve communities in river-related initiatives. This can be done by raising awareness, eliminating the causes of pollution, and developing a scientific and ecological plan for the revival and sustainability of rivers.
After an oath for keeping the Yamuna clean was administered, the particular drive started at 8 am and continued till 7 pm. Each volunteer was asked to cover 5 Mt, and equipment like spades, etc., was made available to them by the organisation.
The chairman of Utthan Samiti, Mr Satendra Singh, and his co-workers started the drive along the banks of the river Yamuna. ‘It was quite obvious that we would see a lot of trash along these banks’, says one of the organisation’s members.
The sanitary staff was also present to remove the waste material collected by the volunteers and members of the organisation to dispose of it immediately. The residents also arranged ten boats to assist in this drive.
In India, a significant number of river waters are unfit for drinking. This is because of the discharge of untreated sewage, agricultural run-off, waste discharge by unregulated small-scale industries, etc., to these naturally occurring water bodies.
The primary objective behind the launch of this drive is to sensitise people and connect them with the Yamuna and its tributaries by considering their cleanliness and conservation as their responsibility.
Mr Satendra Singh, on being asked about the drive, said, ‘River Yamuna, one of the most prominent rivers in India, has been an industrial and domestic dumpster for a long time now, and is one of the most polluted waterways in India. Every day, the river receives about 800 million litres of untreated sewage, and about 44 million litres of industrial effluents, creating a toxic foam in the river. While these activities not only deplete rivers, they also adversely impact the lives of the marine fauna.’
The organisation encourage people to help in the restoration of rivers and also tells them the value of these rivers.
We were very contented to see a massive bulk of people volunteering for the social cause. We saw people full of enthusiasm join the drive. They helped us a lot in cleaning the banks.
Mr Satendra Singh said, ‘the three-day program of cleaning the Yamuna is a commendable effort towards making the holy river Yamuna clean. He also asked the volunteers to vow that ‘when the Yamuna is a holy river, we will not put any kind of garbage in it.’
According to the head of the organisation, the main focus of this program was on keeping the Yamuna clean and making people aware so that this campaign can be accelerated by changing this behaviour.’
During the drive, the emphasis was also laid on making villages situated on the banks of Yamuna open-defecation-free and polythene-free.
Increasing awareness is the primary solution to river Ganga river. With effective plans and implementation, the Ganga river can be cleaned. People and government together need to take responsibility for reviving the river.
Volunteers were awarded medals and were appreciated for their relentless efforts and selfless work towards the environment.
Mr Satendra Singh said ‘this drive wouldn’t have been a feat without the cooperation of various departments and volunteers.’