Mumbai:
The biggest discussion on the world’s biggest event ‘Maha Kumbh’ is taking place in ‘NDTV Conclave’. In this discussion, the country’s biggest saints and economists are coming together on one platform to express their views on the economic aspects of Mahakumbh and its impact. During this, in the ‘Maha Kumbh of Faith on Nature’ session, Swami Chidanand Saraswati (President of Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Rishikesh), Shobhit Kumar Mishra (Adani Group is running Prayagraj project under the framework of Clean Ganga Mission), Professor Badrinarayan (Social Historian and Professor at G.B. Pant Institute of Social Sciences, Allahabad) and Rishi Aggarwal (Environmentalist and Director, Mumbai Sustainability Centre). Professor Badrinarayan told that this time such arrangements have been made in Kumbh that both nature and tradition are preserved. At the same time, Shobhit Kumar Mishra said that whatever we take from nature, we should return it in the same form.
State, society and spirituality are working together – Professor Badrinarayan
Describing the relationship between nature and humans, Professor Badrinarayan said, ‘This time the state, society and spirituality together are aware and trying to maintain the cleanliness and purity of Ganga and Mahakumbh. This is a reversal in a way, because from the very beginning when Indian society was our traditional democracy, the state and the society were also concerned about how humans would behave with the rivers. We got to see this during the period of Kautilya. During this period, we used to give as much as we took from nature. Earlier, there were some strict rules for bathing in rivers, like not to rinse in river water. Do not wash clothes in the river with soap. Similarly you will see that if you go from Gangotri to Kolkata, wherever two rivers meet, a fair is held there. Crores of people have been coming to these fairs for years. All these people have been together protecting their culture and nature. But in the meantime, when modern or rather aggressive democracy came, this circle got worse. However, now that era is returning again.
#NDTVMahakumbhConclave ‘Whatever we take from nature, like air, water and soil, it should be returned to us in the same form’: Adani Prayagraj Project Head Shobhit Kumar Mishra@Pbndtv , #MahaKumbh2025 , #Prayagraj pic.twitter.com/8bFg3U5iNe
— NDTV India (@ndtvindia) January 7, 2025
‘No need to explain to 45 crore people…’
How to convince people to keep rivers clean? On this, Professor Badrinarayan says, ‘For most of the 45 crore people who are going to come to Mahakumbh, Ganga is revered, they give it the status of mother. But there are some of these people who are addicted to spreading filth. We need to convince these people not to pollute the rivers. Do not spread dirt in the fair premises. Police and administration are also working for this. Cameras have been installed, people are also being made aware.
What is Project Prayagraj
Describing the Prayagraj Project, Shobhit Kumar Mishra said, ‘Whatever we take from nature, like air, water and soil, we should return it in the same form. We have no right to convert it. We have to return the resources in the same form to the next generation. This becomes our responsibility. We started the Prayagraj project in the year 2019 under the framework of the Clean Ganga Mission and completed it in 2023. It has 9 STPs. We have rehabilitated 6 and built 3 new STPs. Our installed capacity is 326 MLD. 326 million liters of water is being treated. The water coming out after being treated is just like drinking water. We take the water coming from the sewer pumping station to the treatment plant.
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‘Dip of faith, holy dip’ in Mahakumbh
Shobhit Kumar Mishra said, ‘Due to Project Prayagraj, today 90 percent drain water has stopped flowing into the Ganga. The water from these drains is being treated and released into the Ganga. There has been a lot of difference from Ardh Kumbh to Maha Kumbh. People are also getting to see this. This will send a message among the people that the government has worked. Now let us assume that our project ‘Aastha Ki Dipki Pavitra Dipki’ will be held in the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj and will continue for 15 years.
There should be discussion on the health of rivers on the occasion of Mahakumbh – Rishi Aggarwal
Environmentalist Rishi Aggarwal said, ‘See, whenever Kumbh and Mahakumbh happen, we should also use that time to discuss the condition and health of rivers. The rivers are given such a high status in India that they are rarely given in any other country. We consider rivers sacred and revered, but the irony is that the most polluted rivers are also in India. Even in Mumbai, the rivers like Oshi and Dahisar are also quite polluted. Some people do not even consider them as rivers, they say that they are drains. We throw garbage, plastic bags and what not in our rivers. There is a problem of sewer treatment across the country. Everyone’s sewers are meeting the rivers somewhere. The time has come when we have to take the health of rivers seriously.
During the conclave, Swami Chidanand Saraswati thanked NDTV for raising the issues of rivers. He said, ‘If nature is saved, culture will be saved and our descendants will be saved. Culture, Nature and Future… I think our future depends on our nature. How we maintain our nature will decide our future. It’s time for us to wake up. We have to tell people that the water in which we bathe also has to be saved. If there is no water, there is no Prayag and if there is no water, there is no Kumbh. Therefore, I praise NDTV that you have fulfilled the media social responsibility.
Swami Chidanand Saraswati said, ‘Before taking bath in the Sangam, we will bathe the Sangam with the Nishadrajs and with the sanitation workers. Before taking bath, we will clean the banks of the Sangam. However, under his guidance our energetic Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have done a lot of work for the fair. This fair will change the atmosphere, it will change the entire country, this fair will not only change the face of Prayagraj but will also change the intelligence of the people. This experiment of Prayag will work to connect everyone and connect everyone. People coming to Prayagraj, along with doing sadhana and worship, should also keep in mind that worship and pollution do not go together. Filth and worship do not go together.
Before bathing in the Sangam, we will bathe the Sangam – Swami Chidanand Saraswati
During the conclave, Swami Chidanand Saraswati thanked NDTV for raising the issues of rivers. He said, ‘If nature is saved, culture will be saved and our descendants will be saved. Culture, Nature and Future… I think our future depends on our nature. How we maintain our nature will decide our future. It’s time for us to wake up. We have to tell people that the water in which we bathe also has to be saved. If there is no water, there is no Prayag and if there is no water, there is no Kumbh. Therefore, I praise NDTV that you have fulfilled the media social responsibility.
Swami Chidanand Saraswati said, ‘Before taking bath in the Sangam, we will bathe the Sangam with the Nishadrajs and with the sanitation workers. Before taking bath, we will clean the banks of the Sangam. However, under his guidance our energetic Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have done a lot of work for the fair. This fair will change the atmosphere, it will change the entire country, this fair will not only change the face of Prayagraj but will also change the intelligence of the people. This experiment of Prayag will work to connect everyone and connect everyone. People coming to Prayagraj, along with doing sadhana and worship, should also keep in mind that worship and pollution do not go together. Filth and worship do not go together.
Not only India but people all over the world are curious about Mahakumbh 2025, the biggest human gathering of Sanatan culture, famous as an intangible heritage of humanity. This time grand preparations have been made for Mahakumbh. During the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, 45 crore devotees in 45 days, budget of Rs 7500 crore, fair area of ​​4000 hectares, 13 thousand trains, more than 1.6 lakh tents, 2700 cameras with artificial (AI) technology, 488 kilometers of road in the Kumbh area. Roads, 67 thousand LED lights, 200 water ATMs were arranged. Has gone. Mahakumbh-2025 is going to be held on the land of Prayagraj from 13 January to 26 February.
