Page 32 - Mann Ki Baat English

From Tamsa to Anantapur

Reviving the Life of Our Ecosystem

We've been hearing this for ages: "Water is life." But when rivers
dry up and ponds turn barren, not only does water wither, but hope
also begins to fade. But in two different parts of India, Azamgarh in
Uttar Pradesh and Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh, people have proved
that with strong resolve, even drying rivers and ponds can be revived.
This story is about the spirit of ‘public participation’ that has made the
seemingly impossible possible.
Azamgarh: When the River Became a ‘Mother’
The Tamsa River, flowing through Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, was
once fighting for its very existence. Filth, encroachment, and public
indifference had nearly turned it into a drain. But then, the aware and
engaged citizens of the city decided that enough was enough.
Azamgarh-based Educationist and Social Worker Dr. Pawan
Kumar explains that this change began not with a government order,
but with a realization. He says: “The ascetics of Tamsa presented the
Tamsa not just as a water stream, but as Mother Tamsa, highlighting

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