Shivraj's 'Namami Devi Narmade' Yatra to Run for 144 Days from 11 December

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that the 144-day 'Namami Devi Narmade' Narmada Seva Yatra 2016 will send a message about protecting rivers to the whole world. It will be a unique people's campaign to raise environmental awareness.

Chouhan was addressing a meeting of the state-level organising committee, called at the Academy of Administration to finalise the action plan for the Narmada Seva Yatra 2016. Ministers in charge of the 16 districts directly on the route, MPs, MLAs, divisional commissioners and collectors attended. The yatra starts from Amarkantak on 11 December and will end at Amarkantak on 11 May, when a convention of Narmada Seva Samitis will also be held.

The Chief Minister gave final shape to the action plan for the yatra. Dates for the yatra and the number of days it will spend in each district have been fixed. The journey will cover 3,344 km, of which 1,909 km will be on foot, passing through 51 development blocks and 1,104 hamlets.

The Chief Minister said the Narmada gives life to Madhya Pradesh, so citizens too have a duty towards the river. He urged people to join the yatra of their own accord to save the Narmada, saying it should become a campaign of the whole society. Saints, social workers, environmentalists, NGOs and religious and cultural institutions should join and turn it into a people's movement.

Chouhan said the Narmada's water comes from trees and hills, so large-scale tree planting will be carried out along its banks to keep the river alive. Farmers will be encouraged to plant fruit trees and will receive financial help for three years in a row until the trees bear fruit. Treatment plants will also be set up to stop urban sewage from flowing into the river.

The causes of pollution in villages along the Narmada will also be discussed. Ghats will be cleaned and new ghats built. During the yatra, public dialogues will be held on environmental issues at 20 chosen places. Chouhan directed that Narmada Seva Samitis be formed quickly at the block and gram panchayat levels. Registered under the Societies Act, these committees will carry out grassroots work for the river.

Discussing the sub-yatras, the Chief Minister said they could be large or small. He asked for special health arrangements for those taking part and for the route to be studied in advance. Only flower garlands will be offered, to a picture of Narmada Maiya, and plastic and thermocol items will be completely banned. Sites will also be identified for cremation grounds (mukti dham) so that the practice of floating bodies in the Narmada comes to an end.

Swami Akhileshwaranand said a large number of saints would take part in the yatra. Committee members gave suggestions to make it effective and successful. Present were organising committee chairman and Forest Minister Dr Gauri Shankar Shejwar, Jan Abhiyan Parishad vice-president Pradeep Pandey, Chief Secretary B.P. Singh, Additional Chief Secretary (Planning) Deepak Khandekar and the Chief Minister's Principal Secretary Ashok Barnwal.