Yamuna March to Hathini Kund to begin November 2

 

Mathura October 4

 

River lovers and eco-activists from several west UP districts along Yamuna will beging their "long march" to Hathini Kund from November 2.

 

A decision to mobilise people to "liberate Yamuna" which has been shackled at Hathini Kund barrage was taken by hundreds of activists at a meeting held at the Govind math in Vrindavan, presided over by Swami Vigyanacharya ji Maharaj. Speakers painted a grim picture of the river that was highly polluted and its water unfit for human consumption.

 

Jai Krishn Das, convener of the Yamuna Rakshak Dal which will spear head the march, said lakhs of pilgrims who visit shrines in Braj Mandal are pained to see the condition of the river Yamuna worshipped and revered by Hindus all over the world.

 

Das said the water of the Yamuna was held up at Hathini Kunde which needed to be released for downstream cities like Mathura and Vrindavan, as also Agra. "We will launch a satyagrah with active participation of saints, farmers and river lovers. People from several districts will join the march which will be the final assault," he added.

 

The national general secretary of the Bahujan Samaj Party Mahesh Arya said the increasing level of pollution in Yamuna was a matter of serious concern. "We support the agitation and assure our party's full backing," Arya said.

 

The meeting was attended by representatives from Kanpur, Jhansi, Hathras, Unnao, and several other districts.

 

River Yamuna has been described as a huge sewage canal as open drains from Haryana, Delhi and other towns along its banks continue to discharge large quantities of industrial effluents, toxins and poisonour waste from sewer lines.

 

BJP leaders from the area including Hema Malini have taken up the river pollution issue with the prime minister. Water resources minister who was in Mathura and Vrindavan recently has promised dredging and desilting of the Yamuna river bed.

 

The Long March last year concluded in New Delhi after an agreement was reached between the government representatives and organisers of the movement. But promises were not kept, complain the yamuna rakshak dal leaders.