The cleanliness campaign is being conducted across various ghats and stretches of the Ganga in Varanasi. The initiative involves teams from the Varanasi Municipal Corporation and Namami Gange, along with Gangaputras and volunteers.
During the drive at Dashashwamedh Ghat, more than one tonne of garbage was collected from the river. The waste included puja materials and other items that had accumulated in the Ganga following the floods.
The teams are also working along the ghats and riverbanks to remove waste and silt deposited by the rising water levels.
The campaign is being coordinated by Rajesh Shukla, Namami Gange Kashi region coordinator and cleanliness brand ambassador of the Varanasi Municipal Corporation.
Shukla said the recent floods had carried various materials into the river, increasing the amount of waste floating on the surface and accumulating along the riverbed and ghats.
“After floods, various substances enter the Ganga bed and surface water, polluting it and making it dirty. We have cleaned these floating objects to maintain a clean appearance from the ghats to the river bed,” he said.
Floods leave ghats covered in silt
Apart from floating waste, the recent floods have also left significant quantities of silt across Varanasi’s ghats.
Shukla said the accumulated silt contained different materials that could contribute to pollution and create difficulties for people visiting the riverfront.
“After the recent floods in Varanasi, all the ghats are covered in silt. This silt contains many substances that are not only polluting the Ganga but also posing a threat to the tourists visiting the river,” he said.
The Municipal Corporation and Namami Gange teams have therefore launched a continuous cleaning campaign to deal with the post-flood accumulation.
The operation includes cleaning the ghats, removing waste from the river and clearing materials deposited along the riverbanks.
Gangaputras and volunteers join campaign
Gangaputras and local volunteers are participating in the cleanliness activities and helping remove puja materials and flood-related waste from the river.
Volunteers are also using the campaign to create awareness among residents and visitors about maintaining cleanliness around the Ganga.
People have been urged not to throw waste or puja materials into the river. The organisers are encouraging visitors to participate in Shramdaan activities and contribute to the cleaning of the ghats and surrounding areas.
The campaign is being carried out as a continuing effort rather than a one-day operation, with teams working to address the impact of the floods on the riverfront.
‘Tribute to ancestors through cleanliness’ message during Pitru Paksha
The cleanliness campaign has also been linked with Pitru Paksha, a period when many people perform rituals and offer tributes to their ancestors.
During the drive, volunteers appealed to people to combine these traditional practices with efforts to protect the Ganga and keep its ghats clean.
Shukla said cleanliness could become part of the tribute offered to ancestors during Pitru Paksha.
“During Pitru Paksha, along with paying true tribute to our ancestors, taking a pledge to clean the Ganga ghats and water bodies is the main message of ‘Tribute to ancestors through cleanliness’,” he said.
The campaign therefore seeks to connect religious observances with public participation in maintaining the river and its surroundings.
Public urged to join Shramdaan
The organisers have appealed to residents, devotees, tourists and other visitors to join the ongoing Shramdaan activities.
They have also urged people to avoid disposing of waste in the Ganga and to cooperate with cleaning teams working at the ghats.
The campaign is focused on clearing the immediate impact of the floods while also encouraging longer-term public participation in keeping the riverfront clean.
The organisers said community involvement would be important in maintaining the cleanliness of the Ganga after the completion of the post-flood cleaning operations.
Volunteers participate in cleanliness drive
Several volunteers and participants took part in the campaign, including Priyamvada Dubey, Dinesh Chaudhary, Sevi Devi, Lucky Devi, Seema Devi, Mohan, Gopal Sahni, Mahendra Sahni and Sunil Srivastava, among others.
The initiative continues to focus on the removal of flood-related waste, cleaning of ghats and awareness among people visiting the Ganga.
With Varanasi’s ghats receiving large numbers of devotees and tourists, the post-flood cleaning effort is aimed at restoring cleanliness along the riverfront and preventing additional waste from entering the Ganga.
The Namami Gange and Municipal Corporation teams have called for continued public participation, particularly during Pitru Paksha, with the message that paying tribute to ancestors can also include a commitment to keeping the Ganga and its ghats clean.
