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On
April 15th 2011, Union Science and
Technology Minister Hon`ble Shri
Pawan Kumar Bansal inaugurated the
scientifically installed
magnificent and aesthetic Ganga-gallery.
The gallery has been established by
The National Academy of Sciences,
India (NASI),
in order to create awareness
amongst the people relating to the
sustainability, conservation and
restoration of our sacred river
Ganga. The gallery highlights the
cultural, religious, economic,
socio-scientific and related
aspects of the river
Ganga. The idea of establishing
such an unique gallery was mooted
by Prof. MGK Menon ,Prof.
M.S.Swaminathan and Dr.(Mrs) Manju
Sharma (Past Presidents, NASI)
realizing the role and
responsibilities of NASI (situated
in the holy city Prayag) to
preserve and conserve
Ganga
for restoring the pristine
properties of Ganga-jal.
Prof. A.K.Sharma,
President, NASI welcomed the
guests. He thanked for the efforts
of Prof. Menon and Prof. (Mrs)
Sharma in establishing the gallery,
the first of its kind in our
country.
Prof. (Mrs) Sharma explained with
beautiful illustration the
attributes of Ganga-gallery
equipped with landscapes and
sculptures, animated models,
multimedia graphics and designs,
current hydro-biological data,
information about the myths and
legends connected to the origin and
voyage of the holy river, and its
traditional galore. She
categorically emphasized gangetic
ecosystem, climate change and its
impact on the Ganga basin, soil
characteristics, Gangetic-dolphins,
Sunderbans, water properties and
its monitoring, need and importance
of sewage treatment plants in
curbing the menace of pollution
etc.
Further, Prof. Asis Datta,
Immediate Past President, NASI,
presented the salient features of
the brochure on Ganga-gallery;
which was later on released by the
Chief Guest Hon’ble Shri Pawan
Kumar Bansal.
Sri G.S.Rautela, Director-General
of NCSM, Kolkata explained about
the making of Ganga-Gallery and
urged the Hon’ble Minister to
extend his help in having a mobile
van museum for NASI to further
spread the message of gallery even
in the remotest areas all along the
course of river.
Former Union
Minister of Science & Technology
and Advisor, New Initiatives of
NASI, Prof. MGK Menon recalling
the words of Prof. Saha, Founder
President-NASI, about the role of
the Academy in spreading awareness
for eradication of social evils to
ensure the scientific development,
exhorted the youth to come forward
to preserve and maintain the
ecological balance, especially for
the Gangetic ecosystem. The CD of
the Documentary Film on Ganga
prepared by Prof. B.D.Tripathi was
also released by Prof. MGK Menon.
Hon’ble Minister Shri Bansal,
in his inaugural address
highlighted the importance of the
holy river Ganges, describing her
as the life-line, a symbol of
purity and virtue for millions of
people, not only for those living
on its banks but from all over the
country because the Ganges
represents their ethos, culture &
identity in every form. The
Ganges, like many rivers of world
sustains a diverse flora & fauna,
which not only help in maintaining
the pristine purity of water, but
also serve as a resource for more
than 450 million people living in
its basin. The water of river
Ganges – Gangajal – does not
putrefy, even after long periods of
storage, whereas water from other
sources begins to putrefy as lack
of oxygen promotes the growth of
anaerobic bacteria; but today these
attributes are only the
reminiscence of the great heritage.
The present situation is
unfortunately different. Due to
indifference towards environment
and diminishing ethical values,
river
Ganges and its basin have been
treated by people as a huge
reservoir for dumping the wastes;
and this has been happening over
several decades. Dumping of plastic
bags, plastic containers, mineral
water bottles, cans, rubbers &
plastics, partly dissolved faeces,
soaps and detergents, medical waste
and several other articles in the
river has defaced the
Ganges. Industrial growth along
the banks has generated enormous
waste, which conveniently and
thoughtlessly is discharged into
the river. Such exogenic activities
have robbed the river of its
pristine glory and sacredness. A
collective action from all the
stakeholders, the people and the
state is, therefore needed to bring
“Ganga”
to its original glory. Therefore,
NASI has made a remarkable and
laudable effort by establishing the
Ganga Gallery- a unique
endeavor, perhaps not seen for any
other river in the world.
In the end of the
session Prof. J P Khurana General
Secretary (OS) felicitated the
dignitaries on the dais and Prof.
Krishna Misra, General Secretary
(HQ) proposed the vote-of-thanks.
After the
inauguration, more than 250 people
including the Council Members,
Fellows and Members, and others
visited the gallery, interacting
with the dynamic exhibits to learn
many facts and figures; and finally
they took oath to conserve the
river before leaving the gallery. |
