Divinity Invoked To Save Ganges River

PATNA, INDIA, march 23, 2004: Every morning, dozens of Hindu men and women gather at the Khojkala ghat to offer prayers and sing hymns in praise of "Ganga Maiya" or Mother Ganga to save the river from pollution. Arjun Prasad, a member of the group, said the rituals would continue for a year. "We have begun here but will organize prayers at different points along the river," he said. The group has also launched a clean-up campaign and is creating awareness among the people on the need to keep the river free of pollution. "We have been requesting devotees not to throw polyethylene and garbage into the river," said Arjun Prasad Yadav, another member of the group. Members of the group lend a hand every morning to clean up the river. Baskets have also been placed at various points to deposit material left over after prayers that would otherwise get thrown into the river. Last week, noted environmentalist Medha Patkar had urged Bihar Chief Minster Rabri Devi to initiate measures to save the Ganges from getting further polluted. Raw sewage, rotting carcasses, industrial effluent, fertilizers and pesticides infect the river for much of its 1,550 mile stretch from the Himalayan foothills to the Bay of Bengal. The river is highly polluted by the time it reaches Patna, some 1,050 miles downstream from its source.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/577471.cms