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WWD2013 Ganges River Trash Cleanup

Activity, Rishikesh, India

The value and importance of the Ganges River cleanup activities in Rishikesh are well beyond simple awareness. The special attention of the group in cleaning up a basinnext to the River shows the dedication, love, and care for the River by the participants.A short report with pictures provided below.

Location : Ganges River, Rishikesh, Uttarkhand, India

Date: March 21 st and 24th, 2013

Length of the River Bank 250 meters with local community

Trash volume 30 bags 300 Kgs.

See Pictures of the local enthusiasts and others, who joined the cleanup effort, below .

Total Numbers of volunteers-6 0 The event was primarily coordinated by Swami Amritarupananda and Jittender Kumar of the Clean Himalaya Society. A short report from Swami Amritarupanandaji belowcaptures the event summaries succinctly.

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Report from our coordinator, Swami Amritarupananda .. describing the activities wededicated to Rivers of the World Thursday, March 21st and Sunday, March 24th.

The Clean Himalaya Society dedicated its weekly Thursday morning and Sundaymorning volunteer-cum-worker clean-up to the Rivers of The World. The Thursdaygroup included some Western volunteers, children, local volunteers and CleanHimalaya workers. We included not only our regular clean-up along the Ganga, butalso cleaned a "basin" next to the Ganga that fills with water during monsoon. Often alot garbage is thrown into this basin, so if it is not regularly kept clean the garbagewill pour into the Ganga during monsoon if the river is in high flood.

The Sunday group included students of the Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy atSivananda Ashram . This group continued the cleaning along the river where theThursday group left off. A second group--consisting of Western volunteers, CleanHimalaya workers and Academy students--also cleaned the village area of Tapovan onSunday morning. This is also done regularly as not only do we feel it is important tokeep the sacred Himalayan hills clean, but when the area is so close to the Ganga,garbage dumped anywhere sooner or later finds its way through drains or ravines to

the river itself.

After the cleanup was over, the local municipal garbage truck supported the event by picking up the collected trash. A few pictures from the activity are provided below:

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WWD2013 Rishikesh Trash cleanup of the small basin near Ganges river

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WWD2013 Rishikesh Trash cleanup by a participant visiting from the west.

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WWD2013 - Ganges River, Rishikesh, India. Participants with Rivers of the World coordinator Swami Amritarupananda (center in Orange dress)