Allahabad: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari visited Kumbh mela and met president of Parmarth Niketan Swami Chidanand here on Friday.The Union minister for river development and Ganga rejuvenation held a brief discussion with Swami Chidanand centred on advancing the spread of the Geotube physio-remediation water treatment programmes. Chidanand was the first to bring this technology as a pilot plan in Rishikesh on June 2018, creating India’s first ‘Sewage to Selfie point.’ The project was completed with the combined effort of European scientists and Indian engineers using a mix of external resources and materials with local ones.Centre and the state government, impressed by the success of the technology, started utilising this technology proactively to clean up nullahs (sewers) flowing into the Yamuna and Ganga, especially in Prayagraj ahead of the Kumbh, to provide clean water for sacred snans.During their meeting on Friday, Swami Chidanand emphasised on bringing the technology to Assi and Varuna rivers and to create more ‘Sewage to Selfie points’ in major cities along the Ganga, like Kanpur and Patna. He lauded the efforts of the national mission for clean Ganga and was glad to be assured by Gadkari that no untreated sewerage would run into the Ganga by 2020.“When our rivers are clean, our nation is healthy. When there is Ganga, there is tomorrow. As Ganga thrives, India thrives. If we let Ganga die, India dies”, said Chidanand.Chief Minister of Gujarat Vijay Rupani also visited Parmarth Niketan at Arial on Friday. Rupani said, “Swamiji’s slogan ‘Beti hai to kal hai aur Ganga hai to jal hai’ is need of the hour. Protection of the girl child, ending child marriage and educating and empowering girl child is crucial to the progress of our nation”.

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