News Release
New Delhi, May 14 2002
Osho World Foundation will host a Save Ganga Network Workshop on Sunday, 19 May 2002 at Gandhi Sangrahalaya, Rajghat in New Delhi. This new initiative – Save Ganga Network – will be launched during this event to create a constructive platform for networking of various organizations and people involved in the Ganga Action Plan.
Shri T.R. Balu, Union Minister for environment has been invited to inaugurate the workshop while Shri Vijay Goyal Minister of State, PMO will be the guest of honour at the inauguration. Several distinguished scientists and environmentalists like Shri Sundar Lal Bahuguna, Dr. R.A. Mashelkar, Professor Yash Pal, Professor MGK Menon, Shri Sudhindra Kulkarni and representatives of ministry of environment and Ganga Action Plan have agreed to join this network for which Dr. Vijay Bhatkar is the Co-coordinator.
In addition, the organizations that have joined the Save Ganga Action Network include: URDIP (CSIR Laboratory), Osho World Foundation, ETH Research Laboratory, Save Ganga Movement, Vedic Research Centre India International Multiversity, World Peace Centre, Vishwa Jagriti Mission, KNOW-IT, National Women’s Organisation, World Foundation for Reverence for All Beings, DBBIIT, Nirdhar and more are joining.
The Save Ganga Network will be launched at Rajghat, New Delhi, on 19th May 2002 by offering prayers for the success of the mission of Save Ganga Network and other rivers in India, to be followed by a workshop between 9.00 am to 3.00 pm at Gandhi Sangrahalaya, Rajghat.During this event, first version of the Save Ganga Network website, with projection of its multi-dimensional content & online services will be launched. Representatives of distinguished scientific, spiritual and social organizations will address the meeting. Following this Workshop, selected participants will move to Haridwar and Rishikesh on 20th May 2002 where the recognizance of Ganga will be undertaken along with local people and institutions of the local bodies. On 21st May 2002, the team will proceed to Devprayag and Gangotri and undertake similar exercises.
Osho has said, “Don’t leave this earth unless you have made it a little better than you found it when you were born– This is the only religion that I know of. All other religions are just fake!”
In line with this, Dr. Bhatkar commented, “In its 2, 525 km flow, the Ganga passes through 29 cities and 70 towns. It is alarming to see the Ganga getting polluted in its course, progressively more in every kilometer it surges ahead. Recognizing the great importance of Ganga, the Government of India launched the Ganga Action Plan in 1986. Although there have been some noteworthy successes in this project, it is highly alarming to see that even after 15 years of the Ganga Action Plan being in force, the Ganga still remains polluted. Today it has turned into a sewer overloaded with chemical pollutants from the industries and toxic pesticide residues. Its water is severely contaminated with bacterial and viral pathogens, particularly around the places of human inhabitation. The same is true for the Yamuna, the Gomti and many other great rivers of India. It has become urgent to accelerate the process of making Ganga pollution-free in the coming years.
“In this context, we wish to make the Save Ganga Network as a peaceful, constructive, non-religious, multi-cultural, apolitical Gandhian movement based on the principles of non-violence, peace and truth with direct participation of people, Indians as well as NRI’s and people of the world interested in Ganga.” Individuals and/or organizations desirous of joining and co-operating in this project are requested to contact Swami Chaitanya Keerti / Ma Prem Shashin at Osho World Foundation in New Delhi.
