Sir,

This has reference to the news item “Yuva Brigade volunteers clean Kapila bathing ghat in Nanjangud” (SOM dated Dec.26) and subsequent comments.

While appreciating the efforts made by green enthusiasts Yuva Brigade, the question that remains unanswered is why our God-fearing bhaktas do not change their attitude and behaviour towards keeping our rivers clean?

Here is a file photo of a similar Kapila cleansing effort by members of Hunsur’s Save Our Earth Club way back on 23.3.2012 when 50 volunteers from Hunsur, joined by about 55 volunteers from Mysuru and 100s of volunteers from Nanjangud gathered at the Bathing Ghat of Kapila, got down to river, removed more than 12 tractor loads of extraneous materials that were rotting and stinking at the bottom of the holy river.

Watching efforts by rank outsiders, the localites led by Taluk Panchayat President with other members, municipal employees, members of Rotary and a large number of citizens got down to Kapila and helped us remove as much of waste as possible. President and members of coracles voluntarily offered their services in carrying the muck and helped in loading on to tractors offered by local owners of tractors.

Even after so many years the sad state of affairs of polluting our holy rivers continue unabated. It is unfortunate that unless otherwise people change their attitude and behaviour towards keeping our river and water bodies clean and stop polluting them, any number of volunteerism would be futile. But volunteerism must go on.

Temple authorities may be doing their best but compared with the record collection of offerings by bhaktas in hundis, money being spent in enforcement of laws/rules relating to pollution of water bodies cannot be said to be the best. Will the authorities concerned take stringent action against such polluters?

– Vasanthkumar Mysoremath Environmental Advisor, Save Our Earth Club, Hunsur, 28.12.2020

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