Page 33 - Mann Ki Baat English
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its historical, cultural, and
spiritual significance. Public
dialogues, workshops, and
discussions fostered the belief
that river conservation is self-
conservation.”
This campaign gradually
became a mass movement.
The biggest challenge was
to change people's mindsets
and coordinate with the
administration. Dr. Pawan,
describing the challenges, says:
“The biggest challenge in The district administration
removing pollution and waste also played a crucial role in
from the river is administrative- making this mass movement
community coordination… effective. The administration
and the initial public apathy… not only raised awareness, but
[But] with shared resolve and also brought them together
participation, difficulties can be on a common platform.
turned into opportunities.” Azamgarh District Magistrate
Everyone, from children Ravindra Kumar explains
to the elderly, contributed how the administration gave
to this campaign. The youth a systematic form to this
volunteered, while the elderly emotional connection:
shared their experiences. Dr. "This river (Tamsa) flows
Pawan considers this change a 89 kilometers in Azamgarh
‘people's revolution’: district and passes through
"The participation of local 111 gram panchayats. The
people from different age groups district administration drew the
and professions transformed attention of the common people
the revival of the Tamsa River to the fact that when your life is
from a campaign into a mass so intertwined with water, why
movement... A water revolution are you allowing it to become
will only come from a people's polluted?"
revolution... The most significant He further explains how he
change has been that the involved those responsible:
Tamsa is once again becoming "With this in mind, we
a center of community unity and conducted a workshop with the
cultural connection." village heads, secretaries and
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