On June 5, Gujarat Chief Minister, Vijay Rupani launched a five-day Sabarmati rejuvenation campaign on the occasion Environment Day. The river-cleanup campaign launched by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation was known as ‘Swachh Sabarmati Maha Abhiyan’ and was carried near the banks of the Sabarmati Ashram.
In the past, the Sabarmati river was added to the list of the most polluted rivers under the National Water Quality Programme of the Central Pollution Control Board. It was amongst the top three polluted rivers in Gujarat after the rivers Amlakhadi and Khadi.
“Sabarmati is a historic river, and such a drive is being undertaken for the first time in many years. Due to the initiative of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, people have come out in thousands to take part in the cleanliness drive,” the Chief Minister told the reporters.
The chief minister said that the river bed will be freed from pollutants during the drive and that “Sabarmati would flow as a clean river after the monsoon”.
Community Participation To Combat Pollution
The campaign successfully witnessed the participation of more than 15,000 people on the first day. Much of the focus was to clean the riverbed which had almost fried up across the riverfront.
Reportedly, when the drive was carried out, 30 metric tonnes of waste was obtained, including plastic bottles, fabric, tobacco packets, items used for religious offerings, etc.
The first day of the drive focused on a downstream between Dadhichi bridge to Sardar bridge. On the second day, the stretch between Indira Bank to Subash Bridge will be covered.
Later, the third stretch from Dadhichi river to Gandhi Bridge will be cleaned. On the fourth and fifth day, the area from Gandhi Bridge to Ellis River and from Ellis River to Ambedkar Bridge will be covered.
In another such initiative, Rupani ordered plantation of 25000 saplings near the Ugati Lake on Science City road where an oxygen park is expected to be opened.
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