Haridwar to host Ganga Utsav on November 4

The event is organised by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).

NMCG commemorates this event every year to mark the anniversary of declaring the Ganga River as the 'National River.'

The primary aim of this festival is to promote the conservation of the Ganga River, highlight its cultural and spiritual significance, and raise public awareness about cleanliness.

This would be the eighth edition of the event and first one being celebrated on the bank of river.

The event will also be celebrated across the Ganga basin states in 139 Districts by District Ganga Committees.

Also, each state will have one main event in the state.

The event will also consist of the flag-off ceremony for the upcoming Ganga Women Rafting Expedition in collaboration with BSF. The 50-day long expedition will conclude at Ganga Sagar traversing through 9 major cities & towns across the Ganga river. This historic expedition will coincide with various activities organized across several districts in the five key states of the Ganga basin.

This year’s event would be showcased as a model event for celebration of river and is likely to be attended by several river cities under the aegis of River City Alliance.

The alliance has been established comprising of 145 river cities across the country.

The main objective of the alliance is to achieve healthy urban rivers by adopting integrated approach of river sensitive urban planning which envisages pollution free and continuously flowing river celebrated by all leading to water secure cities for inclusive and sustainable urban development. This festival will serve as a significant platform to highlight the cultural and spiritual importance of rivers in our society.

During the festival, a session titled "Ganga Samvad" will be organized, featuring discussions among prominent figures, religious and spiritual leaders, and key personalities on various topics.

The aim of this samvad is to inspire youth to connect with river conservation and spread awareness. A technical session will also be held where experts will discuss significant issues related to river rejuvenation.