Bhagamandala: Art of Living Founder Sri Ravishankar Guruji gave a call to people of Cauvery region and the Government to support the cause of rejuvenating river Cauvery, the lifeline of Kodagu and which sustains life in three States — Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

He was speaking after inaugurating the Cauvery-Lakshmanatheertha River Rejuvenation project here this morning and said that the river can be saved only if everyone joins hands for this noble cause.

“We have plans to plant 2.5 lakh trees by this yearend along the path where the Cauvery flows. The only way environment can be saved is by planting trees all along the flowing river region. This move will help in recharging of ground water and increase in water table,” he said.

According to Ravishankar this can be done by making a few water pits where the River Cauvery flows and fill it with jelly stones which in turn will curtail the speed of water. This will help the water seep into the ground. “This is a scientific way of recharging ground water and Art of Living has followed this scientific method successfully in many other river rejuvenation projects,” he claimed.

Virajpet Constituency MLA K.G. Bopaiah, Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha, Zilla Panchayat President B. A. Harish, Madikeri Taluk Panchayat former President Kavita Prabhakar and Bhagamandala-Talacauvery Temple Administration Board Member B.S. Thammaiah were present.

Background

The Rs.150-crore River Rejuvenation Project has been undertaken under the ambit of the MGNREGA scheme. For instance, the Government is now regularly monitoring the Vedavathi River Rejuvenation project in Andhra Pradesh to learn and initiate similar projects across the country to revive many dying rivers.

Kumudavathi River  Rejuvenation

Kumudavathi River (in Nelamangala Taluk near Bengaluru) Rejuvenation project aims to reduce Bengaluru city’s water dependence on River Cauvery.

The spirit of volunteerism has been the hallmark of this project with a total of 2,700 volunteers engaged (including Corporate Employee Engagement). Over the last three years, Rs.12 crore has been mobilised under Corporate Social Responsibility benefiting 70,000 people directly, said a release from Art of Living.