Author: Manoj More
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: February 3, 2008
URL: http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Look-whos-on-a-mission-to-clean-Indrayani-river-in-Alandi/268378/
Introduction: Professionals from Pimpri-Chinchwad
throng the river on weekly-offs to remove the muck
Every Thursday, Indrayani river that flows
through the temple town of Alandi breathes easy. Do not mistake, it's not
the Alandi Municipal Council that is showing concern for the river which has
earned the tag of highly polluted river in Pune. Neither are residents in
Alandi coming forward to bail out the river, whose woes stem not only from
official apathy but from people's beliefs as well.
Indrayani's problems are being taken care
off - at least for one day - by residents in Pimpri-Chinchwad. And they are
predominantly industrial workers who, on their weekly offs on Thursday, make
it all the way to Alandi to remove the garbage from the river. In fact, a
handful of workers who began the mission in February last year were soon joined
by a cross-section of citizens. Their number has swelled to 60 and includes
top company managers, prominent shopkeepers, small-time traders, engineers
and even doctors from Bhosari, Dapodi, Pimple Gurav, Chinchwad, Pradhikaran,
Landewadi and Pimpri.
Every Thursday the 'Clean Indrayani mission'
begins at sharp 7 am under the aegis of the Indrayani Seva Sangh, an organisation
which was formed after the campaign gained momentum last year. The "Indrayani
lovers" then spread out on the ghats on both banks of the rivers. With
brooms, they clean the ghat. And then enter the river to remove the muck either
with bare hands or various cleaning equipment purchased by pooling funds.
"Every Thursday nearly two tonnes of
garbage is removed from the river. We deposit it on one side of the ghat.
It is collected by municipal workers," says Vitthal Vir, one of the architects
of the mission. What brought them together, says Vir, is the absolutely pathetic
condition of the river.
Sunil Patil, a store worker with Tata Steel,
says bones and photos of gods are dumped in the river by citizens. "We
remove dozens of photos of gods and buckets of bones of the deceased that
are immersed by people from every part of the country." Vasant Band,
a miller with an industrial units, says "Once you step into the river
you realise how dirty and polluted it is. And this is same river which is
worshipped by millions."
Dr Anil Kale, a general practitioner from
Bhosari, believes that if proper basic amenities like toilet and drainage
facilities are provided in Alandi, Indrayani's river will not get as polluted
as it gets now. "However, public awareness is the key... every individual
has to understand his responsibility towards the river," says Dr Kale
who joined the movement in April. Vijayanand Kolapkar, a chartered accountant,
says nirmalya and clothes are immersed in the river frequently.
The Sangh has planned grand celebrations on
February 7. Bigwigs, including social crusader Anna Hazare, are expected to
attend the function which will be held on river ghat. The workers emphasise
that only awareness among citizens will help restore the glory of the river
where multitudes throng to immerse ashes.
