"Tourism will grow if rivers are clean": Namami Gange leads cleanliness drive at Namo Ghat in UP

Varanasi  (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 27 (ANI): On the occasion of World Tourism Day, a pledge to purify the river Ganga, described as the mother of cultural tourism and the global public, was taken under the Namami Gange program at the world-renowned tourist destination, Namo Ghat.
Emphasising the core message that "Tourism will grow if rivers are clean," Namami Gange Kashi Region Coordinator and Municipal Corporation Cleanliness Brand Ambassador Rajesh Shukla, along with the volunteer team, cleaned the banks of the river at Namo Ghat before appealing to the public for river conservation.
Shukla stated that clean rivers attract tourists, which boosts the local economy, supports employment, and strengthens the tourism industry while maintaining environmental balance.
Creating awareness among visitors and pilgrims, Ganga Sevak Rajesh Shukla remarked that no civilisation can expand without rivers, adding that the River Ganga is a symbol of India's cultural heritage that binds the nation together. He highlighted that Indian civilisation and tourism remain incomplete without Mother Ganga.
Appealing to the public to act as responsible tourists during travel or pilgrimage along the river, Shukla called on visitors to take a pledge not to throw any kind of garbage into the Ganga during their journeys.
The event witnessed the participation of Namami Gange Kashi region coordinator Rajesh Shukla, alongside Avinash Tiwari, Ruchi Pathak, Goldy Pathak, Avinash Pathak, Vishal Bhardwaj, and hundreds of tourists.
Meanwhile, the Namami Gange initiative and Varanasi Municipal Corporation have stepped up cleanliness efforts along the Ganga and its ghats following the recent floods, with teams removing silt, puja materials and other waste from the river and surrounding areas. 
As part of the ongoing campaign, cleanliness drives were conducted at various ghats as well as in the Ganga. Gangaputras and volunteers are removing puja materials and flood-related waste floating in the river and encouraging people to participate in keeping the river and its banks clean. 
The cleanliness drive was conducted under the coordination of Namami Gange Kashi region coordinator and Municipal Corporation cleanliness brand ambassador Rajesh Shukla. (ANI)