Kolkata, June 15 (IBNS) West Bengal Governor M.K. Narayanan welcomed the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) team of “Ganga Punardarshan” River Rafting Expedition, covering a distance of 2525 kms from Gomukh to Gangasagar, at Millenium Park in Kolkata on Friday.
Ranjit Sinha, Director General, ITBP and senior officers of state government were also present on this occasion.
This rafting expedition is part of ITBP’s Golden Jubilee (2011-2012) celebrations.
The expedition was launched on May 24 from Gomukh.
The team will reach Gangasagar on June 20.
No other team has ever done rafting in the whole stretch of Ganga.
Speaking on this occasion, Narayanan said that this expedition launched by ITBP for conservation of Ganga will create awareness about cleanliness of water, rain-water harvesting and water related issues.
“In spite of extremely difficult and challenging nature of this expedition, ITBP is going to accomplish this mission as ITBP personnel are professionally well trained and physically fit,” he said.
He conveyed his best wishes for success of this adventure expedition.
Sinha said: “ITBP is determined for preservation of environment and this expedition is an attempt in this regard.”
This expedition team is also collecting samples of Ganga water and soil from every 50 km which are being checked in laboratories.
A detailed report will be presented by ITBP to concerned ministries.
The expedition team have passed Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand successfully and reached West Bengal in last phase.
The team is interacting with local population and educating them about clean water, preservation of eco-system, preservation of flora and fauna and treatment of affluent water in Ganga and exhibiting samples of water collected from every 50 kms in Ganga.
An appeal is being made to make its bank free of garbage and polythene.
State governments of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal have helped ITBP in organizing the state level functions in their respective areas. Awareness rallies for saving Ganga and water conservation were also organized all over India.
National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) has also joined hands with ITBP in spreading awareness for conservation of Gangawater.
