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| Current Projects |
| Innovative Green Thinkers India |
MCMEF has set up a national level forum dedicated to cater the need of pollution free environment. The name of the forum is � Innovative Green Thinkers India� which will involve its members in various activities to protect the environment by facilitating the dialogue and action oriented programmes among law students, lawyers, scientists, policy makers, business executives and citizens. The Goal is to create awareness and active participation at all levels for the protection of environment, natural resources and work for the Clean and Green India.
MCMEF invites you to be the member of the �Innovative Green Thinkers India� and work for the noble cause of Clean and Green India. The registration fee is Rs. 200 for one year. The last date for registration is 25th November 2013. Please send the registration form duly filled along with the registration fee through the bank draft in favour of M.C. Mehta Environmental Foundation, 3A Ring Road, Opp. Mool Chand Metro Station, Lajpat Nagar-IV, New Delhi 110024.
For more details download the Invitation Letter and also download the Registration Form |
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The Plight of the Ganga |
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�When our Mother Ganga is injured, our entire nation is hurt � Any disruption of the Ganga detracts from an international symbol of health, healing, revitalization and rebirth. More than a Hindu symbol or economic necessity, the Ganga is India�s best known monument to life.�
M. C. Mehta, �In the Public Interest� |
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The Ganga is integral to India�s identity. Considered to be a sacred river descending from the heavens, it has been revered and worshipped throughout Indian civilisation.
This ancient and magnificent river is now under serious threat due to the construction of hydroelectric dams along the upper reaches of the Ganga. This will devastate local ecology, wildlife and communities by tunneling in river-flow, effectively drying up the Ganga in these areas.
Further downstream, the Ganga is already suffering from the effects of extensive deforestation, and continues to be used as a dumping ground for untreated industrial and domestic waste. Religious tourism has also led to the proliferation of polythene waste in her waters.
As a result of climate change, the Gangotri glacier is rapidly receding. This will have profound implications on India�s water and food security.
On 4 November 2008, the Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh, declared the Ganga a national river and established a special authority to attend to its clean-up. However, thus far, there have been no visible results towards improving the plight of the Ganga. |
| A Call to Save the Ganga and Himlayas |
The Government must take immediate steps towards preserving this magnificent river including:
- permanently ceasing any hydroelectric damming of the river upstream;
- declaring the upper reaches of the Ganga to be a �no development zone� in light of its ecological fragility and heritage significance;
- proactively cleaning up the river downstream, and prosecuting all unlawful industrial and domestic polluters;
- banning polythene at all sites of spiritual pilgrimage and prohibiting vehicles from travelling to sensitive places of pilgrimage further upstream; and
- prohibiting environmentally unsound development along the banks of the river to protect the river and maintain its natural flow.
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| 2010 Kumbh Mela Ganga Campaign |
MCMEF, in association with the Indian Council for Enviro-Legal Action, is currently campaigning to spread grassroots awareness about conserving the Ganga and Himalayas. A camp has been set up at Haridwar, where the Kumbh Mela is taking place, which is being used as a base for organising workshops, talks, and awareness-raising on these issues.
We plan to collect over one million signatures to pressure the government to take immediate and effective measures to protect the Himalayas and the Ganga from the onslaught of damming and other destructive development projects taking place in this eco-fragile region.
If you or any family/friends are attending the Kumbh Mela, please take some time visit our camp, which is located at Sector A/1, 9/1, Gauri Shankar, near the Fire Brigade, Chandi Pal, Haridwar. We also welcome any volunteers to help manage our camp and assist in our Haridwar Kumbh Mela campaign. Please send an email to [email protected] if you are able to assist.
If you are not able to attend the Kumbh Mela at Haridwar, please take a moment to sign our online petition and express your concerns to the Indian government about properly conserving this fragile and iconic part of India.
online petition |
| Letter to the Indian Government |
Please also consider personally writing to the Prime Minister. Your letter can be based on the template letter that we have prepared, which can be accessed by clicking on the link below. However, we recommend that you personalize this template letter as much as possible, so that every letter received by the Prime Minister�s Office looks individually drafted.
letter
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| M.C Mehta to Undertake All-India Speaking Tour in 2010 |
From May onwards, M.C. Mehta will be travelling around different parts of India on speaking assignments to raise awareness about the plight of the Ganga and Himalayas, as well as other campaigns. Please refer to our website for further details. |
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