Priests undergo training programme on best practices to help prevent pollution in Yamuna

New Delhi: With a view to prevent the ever-increasing pollution in Yamuna, a training programme for priests was organised at the Conventional Center in Yamuna on Monday. Delhi L-G VK Saxena was present as the chief guest, and addressed the participants urging them to play the role of educators and change-makers. The training programme follows L-G’s announcement to do the same following incidents of religious waste being disposed into the Yamuna after the Ram Navami festivities.

The L-G said that pujaris and Purohits play an important role as custodians and guides of various spiritual and cultural practices that often culminate in generation of waste which is disposed in the Yamuna. The L-G insisted that any attempt at rejuvenation of river Yamuna will have to essentially involve the people of Delhi, who are the biggest stakeholders in the exercise.

In this training programme, the priests were explained about specific best practices that can help prevent pollution in Yamuna. These included, promoting the use of eco-friendly materials in religious offerings, discouraging the dumping of waste or plastic in the river, and educating people about waste management practices in temples and ashrams located on the banks of the river. Priests were requested to play their part in raising awareness, promoting eco-friendly sustainable practices with local communities and other stakeholders and asked to work in tandem with government agencies.

The priests were asked to sensitize people about best practices aimed at preventing pollution and encourage them to follow these. They were told that people and religious institutions should strictly prohibit throwing any kind of waste, including flowers, food, plastic, or other non-biodegradable items, into the river.

Apart from this, the priests were told that people should be encouraged to promote the use of environment-friendly materials. Religious rituals should be conducted using eco-friendly materials such as natural flowers, leaves and organic materials instead of plastic or other non-biodegradable materials. This would help reduce the amount of waste and prevent pollution.