5000 volunteers reach Rishikesh to save Himalayan ecology

Rishikesh (Uttarakhand). With a three-pronged objective of saving the
Himalayas from ecological disaster, cleansing the River Ganges of
pollutants and also saving the cow, 5000 volunteers who have embarked
upon a 'Ganga Yatra', have reached Rishikesh. The rally termed as
'Ganga Yatra' commenced on February 11 from Gangotri Dam and will end
on February 28 in New Delhi, where the Government will be persuaded to
take steps to save the region from ecological damage. "We will strive
for the protection of the holy cow, the holy river Ganges and the
Himalayas. These are the basics of our journey," said Gopal Maniji
Maharaj, a volunteer. "The Ganges has been forced to change its course
with bridges and tunnels being built across it, and as a result, the
sanctity of the river has been destroyed," Maharaj added. The cow is
regarded as the saviour of mankind, and its slaughter can threaten
Indias entire population, he claimed. "The cow, Ganges and Himalayas
have not received adequate attention needed for their preservation.
And whatever little has been done, is not sufficient. The cow is being
sacrificed often and this is not right," said Subhash Sharma, one of
the organisers of the Ganga Yatra. "For 24 years, Gopal Maniji Maharaj
has been monitoring the situation and following an analysis. He has
suggested that around 5001 people should come forward and begin the
holy journey to draw the attention of the Government to these issues,
so that they may take relevant steps to protect them," Sharma added.
According to a recent official report, only 39 percent of the primary
target of the Ganga Action Plan, which the Central Government had
started in 1985, has been met so far. The Ganga Action Plan (GAP) was
originated from the personal intervention and interest of the late
Prime Minster Indira Gandhi, who requested a comprehensive survey of
the situation in 1979. After five years, the Central Pollution Control
Board (CPCB) published two comprehensive reports, which formed the
base from which the action plan to clean up the Ganga, was developed.