New Delhi, May 31 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised a citizen-led cleanup of the polluted Manorama river in Basti district of Uttar Pradesh, where a group of youngsters, shifting from complaints to direct action, gradually restored a section of the river, inspiring community environmental initiatives.

Addressing the 134th episode of his monthly radio programme, ‘Mann Ki Baat’, PM Modi said, “Many of you must have memories connected with a river, pond, or well water. Some might remember swimming in a pond, some might remember playing with friends on the pond’s banks, and some might remember the fragrance of the mud. Such childhood memories linger in the heart for a lifetime.”

The Prime Minister shared an inspiring story from the Basti district in Uttar Pradesh, where a group of young people is committed to preserving their childhood memories.

“Akash Gupta of Basti was deeply saddened by the sight of his village’s Manorama River. The river he had seen as clean and vibrant in his childhood… Over time, plastic had started accumulating in the river, and the filth was increasing. Shriman Akash decided not to complain, but to make a new beginning. ‘No complaints, a fresh start’ became his mantra. He took his friends along,” PM Modi said.

He mentioned that due to the efforts by these youngsters, a section of the Manorama River started to look clean and fresh.

“All they had was a net, a spade, a basket, and their greatest strength: the determination to make a difference. These young people would wade into the river, remove water hyacinth, and bring out plastic and garbage.”

“Sometimes, they removed up to 50-60 kilograms of garbage from the river in a single day. Gradually, that section of the Manorama River began to look clean again. The work also drew the attention of the people in the surroundings… awareness about cleanliness increased,” the Prime Minister added.

Sharing a similar inspiring story from Goa, PM Modi mentioned Balkrishna Aiya, a retired teacher, who played a key role in laying pipelines in the Maddi-Tolap area, bringing relief for people struggling with the water problem.

“But the zeal for social work is as strong, even today. He was deeply perturbed by the water problem in the Maddi-Tolap area. He, too, began working towards a solution. Balkrishna played a key role in laying pipelines. This brought water to many homes. This was a huge relief for families who had to struggle daily for water,” the Prime Minister added.

–IANS

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