River Gomti gets a facelift

Various Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims and Christians in a unique show of unity have recently joined hands to clean the River Gomti in response to a public appeal by Municipal Corporation of Lucknow and several non-government organizations here.

Lucknow (U.P), July 2 : Various Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims and Christians in a unique show of unity have recently joined hands to clean the River Gomti in response to a public appeal by Municipal Corporation of Lucknow and several non-government organizations here.

Widespread pollution of River Gomti has caused much concern among the citizens making the civic authorities to seek public cooperation for remedial steps.

The drive that was launched a week ago by the Municipal Corporation of Lucknow received an overwhelming response with people from all the sectors of the society supporting the cause.

People irrespective of their religious faith have come forward to lend a helping hand in the cleanliness drive. Many people including Sadhus (hermits) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists, Sikhs, Muslim Ulemas and Christians are extending their help for the cause.

"River Gomti, which we revere as half Ganga, herself doesn't discriminate amongst people and serves everyone. So, today under the leadership of Dr. Dinesh Shrama, Mayor of Munlicipal Corporation of Lucknow, the Gomti cleaning programme was launched in which whole of Lucknow participated. Be it a teacher, a lawyer, a businessman or anybody, everyone participated," said Amar Singh, a resident of Lucknow.

"Till now various groups have worked separately and differently as such this programme was affected. We want everyone should participate in cleaning River Gomti and should rise above the boundaries of religion. We have made everyone fill a promise letter that they won't dirty River Gomti," said Raghvendra Singh, a senior functionary, Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

The participants in the cleaning drive also include Muslims.

"Our main issue is cleaning River Gomti and it has nothing to do with the religion. But surely it has connections with all human beings. Because people who stay here are human beings first and only thereafter they belong to any religion. Everyone drinks and uses the same water. People of all the religions participated. It can be said that organisations represented it. But we all have come as a citizen and have the zest to clean Gomti and it has no relations with religion," said Nawab Kafar Mir Abdullah, a resident.

People maintain that such an effort will enable everyone of them to perform their rituals the same way like earlier and all of them would be able to take bath in the holy water of River Gomti.

"According to the reports, the water that flows here is pollution free, before it reaches here. In Lucknow, everyday 400 million tonnes of waste is discharged into the river due to which the water gets polluted. When the same water reaches Jagdishpur, the pollution level is lower. This indicates that River Gomti gets polluted in Lucknow. Along with the Government, it is the duty of the citizens too to clean River Gomti. So that Muslims and Hindus can perform their rituals here," said Maulana Khajeed Rasheed, a Muslim cleric. By Kamna Mathur

ANI