Comprehensive efforts towards cleaning Ganga will bear results: Historian Sudipta Sen

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) or the 'Namami Gange' programme has held its first session of the lecture series to educate masses and discuss the glorious history of river Ganges.

Acclaimed professor and historian, Sudipta Sen, who chaired the session held here on Friday, also released his book---'Many Pasts Of A River'--- and presented an in-depth analysis on the subject of his lecture focused on 'Ganga and the Pulse of Civilization: The Future and Past of India's Great River.'

"Long time ago, people who used to live on the banks of the river had figured out the way to live without harming the source of their livelihood. There is something we need to learn from that. The scale of the problem, the rise in population and financial support for keeping the river clean, expertise and intervention needed have all have changed exponentially," Sen said.

The book revolves around the fascinating story of the world's third-largest river since its origination during the prehistoric times to the present.

Sen, during the session, also focused on the myths surrounding the significance of river Ganges in Hinduism as well as Buddhism.

The conduct of a lecture series is latest in NMCG's holistic approach towards restoring the purity of the river.

"In this programme, we also value very much that people should collaborate. The knowledgeable people, common people, experts, they all have to join and share their ideas and feel that they are also partner into this great mission. These kinds of the lecture are helpful in that way," said Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga.

The Clean Ganga Mission works towards ensuring an effective abatement of pollution and rejuvenation of river Ganga through an integrated and a multi-layered strategy.

While it has been working relentlessly on the ground to ensure water quality and environmentally sustainable development, it has given special attention to the need for spreading awareness at a mass level.