Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday called for a powerful national campaign on the need to rejuvenate the country's rivers and suggested that it should be done with a sense of immediacy.
Noting that rivers have always been revered in India for their life-regenerating power, Naidu pointed out that growing urbanization and industrialization have led to pollution of rivers and other water bodies in different parts of the country.
He observed, "In the past, our villages and cities used to be dotted with several water bodies. In the quest for modernization, man, driven by greed, has destroyed natural ecosystems and at several places, the water bodies have virtually disappeared or have been encroached upon."
Naidu arrived in Guwahati today on a tour of the North East, began his trip by inaugurating the Heritage-cum-Cultural Centre on the banks of the river Brahmaputra. He also visited the museum at the Centre and released a coffee-table book 'Forever Guwahati' on this occasion.
Naidu suggested to the Centre and the state governments to include lessons on the importance of water conservation in school curricula. He also suggested that schools should conduct nature camps for students from a young age so that children, especially those living in the urban areas, see and enjoy the splendour of nature.
The Vice President noted the legacy of the hillock where the heritage centre is located as the base camp of the most powerful Borphukan of the Ahom Kingdom, Lachit Borphukan.
During the visit, Shri Naidu witnessed several sections of the centre like the art gallery, the Central Hall with the theme 'Life Along the River' and 'Majuli Corner', containing famed masks, panel paintings and other artefacts.
( With inputs from ANI )
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