Travel
News, February, 2008
|
Back
to Index
5000 volunteers for Rishikesh to
save Himalayan ecology
Rishikesh
(Uttarakhand): With a three-pronged objective of
saving the Himalayas from ecological disaster, cleansing
the River Ganges of pollutants and also saving the cow,
5000 volunteers who have embarked upon a 'Ganga Yatra',
have reached Rishikesh. The rally termed as 'Ganga Yatra'
commenced on February 11 from Gangotri Dam and will
end on February 28 in New Delhi, where the Government
will be persuaded to take steps to save the region from
ecological damage. "We will strive for the protection
of the holy cow, the holy river Ganges and the Himalayas.
These are the basics of our journey," said Gopal Maniji
Maharaj, a volunteer. "The Ganges has been forced to
change its course with bridges and tunnels being built
across it, and as a result, the sanctity of the river
has been destroyed," Maharaj added. The cow is regarded
as the saviour of mankind, and its slaughter can threaten
India's entire population, he claimed. "The cow, Ganges
and Himalayas have not received adequate attention needed
for their preservation. And whatever little has been
done, is not sufficient. The cow is being sacrificed
often and this is not right," said Subhash Sharma, one
of the organisers of the Ganga Yatra. "For 24 years,
Gopal Maniji Maharaj has been monitoring the situation
and following an analysis. He has suggested that around
5001 people should come forward and begin the holy journey
to draw the attention of the Government to these issues,
so that they may take relevant steps to protect them,"
Sharma added. According to a recent official report,
only 39 percent of the primary target of the Ganga Action
Plan, which the Central Government had started in 1985,
has been met so far. The Ganga Action Plan (GAP) was
originated from the personal intervention and interest
of the late Prime Minster Indira Gandhi, who requested
a comprehensive survey of the situation in 1979. After
five years, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
published two comprehensive reports, which formed the
base from which the action plan to clean up the Ganga,
was developed.
Police destroy opium
crop worth over 20 million rupees in Bihar
Manjhar
(Bihar): Police has destroyed opium crops worth
over 20 million rupees, reportedly grown by Maoists
in Bihar's Manjhar village. Following intelligence reports,
police personnel swooped down on the village where a
poppy was being grown on over one and a half acres of
land. "It was planted in one and a half acres of land
in different plots. The produce is worth over 20 million
rupees in the International market. Investigation would
be carried out to identify the culprits," said Amit
Kumar Jain, Superintendent of Police, Gaya. According
to the police, Maoists often force villagers to cultivate
opium on their farms to fund their operations. The farmers
oblige in anticipation of acquiring a rich dividend.
Thirty-two out of 38 districts in Bihar are Naxalite
affected. Bihar shares borders with Nepal, one of the
biggest markets for opium.
Rescued leopard
escapes into Nasik farm
Nasik:
A leopard that had fallen into a well in Nasik's
Dober village and subsequently rescued has vanished
into an adjoining sugarcane farm. The leopard fell into
the well while chasing a dog. The dog, which also fell
into the well, died. The leopard was rescued after a
tedious rescue operation lasting eight hours, said Ranjan
Gaekwad, a forest official. It was the fifth time a
leopard had entered a residential area in Nasik. Last
year, forest officials captured two leopards in similar
instances.
-Feb
22, 2008
