Ganga Amantran Abhiyan
Union cabinet Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched a rafting and kayaking expedition that will spread awareness about the threats being faced by river Ganga .This expedition will be kicked off at Devprayag and concluded at Ganga Sagar covering entire length of the river. It will continue for a month, beginning on 10th October till 11th of next month. It is a first of its kind and also the longest sporting campaign launched by National Mission for Clean Ganga.
In this expedition international open-water swimmer Wing Commander Paramvir Singh will lead a nine member team comprising of swimmers and rafters from the three services of the Indian Armed Forces. The members from NDRF, Wildlife Institute of India and CSIR- Indian Institute of toxicology will also join the team. During this journey the team wil be stopping at various locations and awarenes campaigns will be held there.
National Mission for Clean Ganga is society registered under Act of 1860 and was constituted? in 2011 under Environment (Protection) Act (EPA),1986. It operates under department of water resources, River development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Jal Shakti Ministry. It acts as implementing arm of National Ganga council (earlier known as National Ganga River Basin Authority). It has two tier management structure and is comprised of Governing Council and Executive Committee. The Executive Committee has authority of approving the projects upto Rs. 1000 crores.
About river Ganga:
Ganga is the longest river of India originating as Bhagirathi from Gangotri glacier. Bhagirathi when meets Alaknanda at Devparayag gets the name Ganga. Ramganga, Gandhak, Ghaggar, Gomati and Kosi are some of its left bank tributaries. Its right bank tributaries are Yammuna and Son. Haridwar, Patna, Varanasi and Prayagraj are some major cities on its banks. In Bangladesh Ganga is known by the name of Padma when it joins Jamuna river and then takes the name Meghna. River Meghna drains into Bay of Bengal forming world largest delta The Sunderbans.
