CM Adhikari, ministers clean Ganga wharf in Kolkata as part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
Kolkata, June 17
As part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and other members of the state cabinet led by him, on Wednesday, cleaned the wharf of the River Ganga at Bagbazar in Central Kolkata.
Since the formation of the new Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government, the new cabinet, especially CM Adhikari, has taken steps to make the various wharfs of the Ganga River pollution-free.
On Wednesday morning, the Chief Minister, accompanied by the state municipal affairs & urban development minister, Agnimitra Paul and the state commerce & industries minister, Tapas Roy, reached the Ganga wharf at Bagbazar in North Kolkata.
Upon reaching Bagbazar Wharf, the Chief Minister first planted a tree. After that, he garlanded the idols in the temple there and performed puja.
After that, Agnimitra and Tapas joined him in cleaning the Ganga wharf there with brooms in hand. The Chief Minister said that such cleaning of different Ganga wharfs in the state will continue throughout the year to keep the river and wharfs free from garbage and pollution, the official launch of which was made on Wednesday.
Incidentally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Kolkata on June 21 to attend a function on the occasion of the International Yoga Day. The Prime Minister himself will participate in the main programme at Red Road in central Kolkata.
"Our main aim is to give the Prime Minister a beautiful and clean Bengal," said CM Adhikari.
The Union government has a project christened "Namami Gange" to keep the Ganga clean, a project in which PM Modi himself has participated. Now, on Wednesday, CM Adhikari followed the footsteps of the Prime Minister by himself cleaning the Ganga wharf.
Earlier this month, CM Adhikari also announced that the state government will complete the beautification and renovation of six wharfs along the Hooghly River in Kolkata and Howrah before Durga Puja in October.
The state cabinet led by Adhikari had already launched an extensive restoration initiative for Kolkata's traditional Ganga wharfs, with a focus on infrastructure upgrades, improved amenities and riverfront beautification.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's good to see leaders doing grassroots work. But honestly, cleaning one wharf doesn't solve the massive pollution in Ganga. We need proper sewage treatment plants and industrial waste management. Still, a small step is better than nothing. 👏
As a local resident of Bagbazar, I can tell you this wharf was in a pathetic state for years. Finally someone is paying attention. But CM ji, please don't stop here—the entire stretch from Bagbazar to Dakshineswar needs similar attention. And yes, ensure the beautification is done keeping the heritage of our ghats intact! 🛕
I'm from the US but I follow Indian news closely. This is inspiring to see political leaders actually picking up brooms! In our country, we rarely see politicians doing manual work. Hope this becomes a trend globally. But the real challenge is keeping it clean afterwards. Good luck Bengal! 🇮🇳
Great symbolism but I have mixed feelings. The Ganga cleaning requires crores of rupees and proper infrastructure, not just photo-ops. And the timing right before PM Modi's yoga day event seems a bit too convenient. Let's see if this enthusiasm continues after June 21! 🤔
As a Bengali, I appreciate the gesture but I'm skeptical. We've heard so many promises about Ganga cleaning over the years. What we need is consistent action, not just before VIP visits. Having said that, CM Adhikari ji seems genuinely committed. I'll wait and watch before celebrating. 😊