World Wetlands Day: Indian Army, Namami Gange Lead Massive Cleanliness Drive Along Ganga in Varanasi

Varanasi: On the occasion of World Wetlands Day, the Indian Army, in collaboration with the Namami Gange initiative, carried out a large-scale cleanliness and awareness अभियान along the banks of the River Ganga in Varanasi. The campaign was organised by the 137 Battalion of the 39 Ganga Task Force along with the Namami Gange Ganga Vichar Manch, Metropolitan Unit.
Under the leadership of Army Subedar Dhanesh Kumar Yadav and Namami Gange district coordinator Shivam Agrahari, an extensive cleanliness drive was conducted from Gayaghat to Badri Narayan Ghat. Army personnel, along with volunteers and municipal corporation workers, actively participated in cleaning the riverbanks through collective labour.
During the campaign, hundreds of devotees who had arrived from different states were made aware that the purity of the Ganga is directly linked to human existence. They were urged to support ongoing efforts aimed at maintaining a clean and pollution-free Ganga. The drive echoed with slogans such as “Ganga Maiya Ki Jai” and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai,” inspiring public participation in cleanliness initiatives.
Simultaneously, a special campaign titled “Swachhta Hi Seva, Safai Hi Pooja Hai” was launched at Trilochan Ghat. As part of this initiative, ancient Shiva temples located within traditional structures (madhis) at various ghats in Kashi will be cleaned till Mahashivratri. The cleaning work began at an ancient Shiva temple located in a madhi at Trilochan Ghat.
Shivam Agrahari stated that special focus is being given to temples where regular maintenance is lacking. He added that the campaign has been ongoing for several years with the objective of preserving Kashi’s heritage and highlighting the spiritual significance of ancient Shiva temples.
Several volunteers and local residents, including Bhim Singh, Jai Vishwakarma, Anurag Sonkar, Praveen Yadav, Sunita, Mantara, Rajendra, Kallu and Geeta Devi, actively took part in the campaign, making it a collective effort toward cleanliness, heritage conservation, and environmental awareness.
