'NAMAMI DEVI NARMADE'

Our culture holds water and rivers in very high esteem, revering them as a god and mother, respectively. Our holy scriptures equate water to life itself and lay great emphasis on its conservation.

Importance and significance of mother Narmada, the lifeline of Madhya Pradesh, can hardly be overemphasized. Narmada is not merely a river; it represents a complete culture and civilization. This divine and mystique river has been glorified even by the 'Vedas' . We have been worshipping it as Mother Goddess Narmada for ages, out of a deep sense of gratitude. It is only due to its ambrosia- like water that the land along its bank has all along been so fertile, conferring prosperity on us.

The banks of Narmada are strewn with centers of pilgrimage and temples where the seekers have attained spiritual elevation and perfection for eons. The villages and towns situated along it became prosperous. I myself grew up playing with the waves of its water that is pure as the heart of a saint.

However, the indiscretion that we have shown in our mad race for material progress and development in regard to natural resources has created an alarming situation. In our culture polluting water bodies and water sources is considered a very serious offence, The task of water conservation is too formidable for government or a single institution or individual to accomplish on their own.Since it is a collective responsibility. Water conservation is a 'Samskar' , to revive which is a major challenge before us. In fact, keeping water and its sources pollution- free and its conservation must be a way of life. The importance and imperativeness of water conservation should be inculcated in every individual right from early age.

With this significant objective in view, a 'Namami Devi Narmade Yatra' is going to be organized from November 11, 2016, 'Dev Prabodhani' 'Ekadashi', to mobilize active public participation and cooperation and to enhance awareness for protection of Mother Narmada. Now due to growing imbalance between the different factors responsible for keeping Narmada water clean and pure, need for its conservation is being felt. For this, Madhya Pradesh Government is going to embark upon a 'Namami Devi Narmade Yatra' . Its objective is to enhance mass awareness for conservation of Narmada and its resources and for their judicious harnessing. During the 'Yatra' , the vegetation cover will be increased and to check soil erosion large scale plantation will be carried out in the riparian zone. Sustainable agriculture practices will be promoted. Various sources of river pollution will be identified and measures taken to resolve the same through public awareness and participation. Efforts would also be made to increase awareness about conservation of water in catchment.

Let us consecrate our lives by actively participating in all the activities for conservation of Narmada, the Lifeline of our State. This is imperative to ensure welfare and wellbeing of our present and future generations.