Ever since Namami Gange program was launched, several concrete steps have been taken to clean the river and to maintain its cleanliness.
Among other projects and initiatives, wider public participation in the movement to clean River Ganges is of the utmost priority for National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and numerous steps have been taken from then and now to ensure the same.
NMCG has selected self-motivated and trained volunteers from among the local communities, they are called ‘Ganga Praharis’ or the Guardians of the Ganga.
The Ganga Praharis work for biodiversity conservation and cleanliness of the holy river with the ultimate objectives of restoring the ‘Nirmal’ and ‘Aviral’ Dhara of the pious river.
They are also playing a crucial role in reporting and rescuing of aquatic wildlife in distress, reporting of illegal activities like poaching.
A group of about 500 trained volunteers or Ganga praharis are reaching to each and every house in areas along river Ganga to educate them about the importance of protecting the river’s bio-diversity.
They are spread over Ganga basin states of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal.
Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director General of NMCG said: “We have selected some motivated local volunteers and given them some training and then we have a regular outreach programme. We keep them updating them about our programmes and the idea is that every village should ultimately have a Ganga prahari so that they will be our representative and they will further train people and school people and all that”.
“They also engage in rescue of injured animal or some Dolphin is there. They also interact with fishermen to tell them about sustainable fisheries. Often fishermen use Dolphin and it also becomes endangered. So, some of these practices we are trying to improve,” he added.
Ruchi Badola, a scientist and senior professor at Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun said, “The Ganga praharis, in fact, take part in a lot of rescue and rehabilitation. Whenever any wildlife along the Ganga comes out, turtles, Dolphins or crocodile, it is the Ganga praharis in all the five states, because they have been trained, who actually come forward and inform the concerned authorities and make sure that particular animal living or dead, should go to wherever it is necessary at that point in time”.
Ganga Praharis are also regularly involved in are Shram Daan, Ghat Cleaning, Awareness Campaigns, Plantation Drives and coordination with local administration.
“A common man should be part of this movement. Ganga is our faith, our mother. It is a source of water for us. Life is impossible without water. It is very important to protest the river and bio-diversity”, said Pyare Lal, Ganga Prahari at Bhogpur village in Uttarakhand.
Rameshwari Devi, another Ganga prahari at the village said, “Those people who are not aware of its ill-effects, are behind polluting the river. Since we have joined as praharis, we have taken a pledge to not get it polluted”.
In an attempt to improve the riverine eco-system of the Ganga, the NMCG and Wildlife Institute of India have also set up Ganga Aqualife Rescue & Rehabilitation Center at Narora in Uttar Pradesh.
The Center nurtures the species such as turtle, crocodile, otters and fish and works towards the restoration of aquatic species that thrive in the river.
The healthy presence of aquatic species and birds is a reliable indicator as they thrive only in and around the clean water.
The Ganga Praharis also play a significant role to remain vigilant so that aquatic species remain safe.
