PUNEET SAGAR ABHIYAN 23 SEP 2022 – BABUGHAT IMMERSION GHAT
Kolkata : NCC cadets of NCC Directorate West Bengal and Sikkim conducted a Riverfront Cleaning Event as part of Puneet Sagar Abhiyan at the Babughat Immersion Ghat on 23 September 2022.
More than 150 NCC cadets, volunteers from the NGOs Nehru Yuva Kendra Kolkata and All India Helping Care; Indian Navy, Indian Army, and KMC; took part in the event. The cadets showed tremendous enthusiasm, dedication, and diligence as they cleaned up the area of Babughat Immersion Ghat, Eden Gardens Railway Station and adjoining areas. More than 700 kgs of plastic waste was cleaned up and sent for recycling and disposal. An exhibition of decorative items created out of plastic waste materials by the NCC cadets, was also put up at the Ghat.
Noted industrialist and President of the Confederation of West Bengal Trade Associations Mr Sushil Poddar was the Chief Guest. Renowned film and TV stars Moubani Sorcar (daughter of
internationally renowned Magician PC Sorcar Jr) and Honey Bafna were the Guests of Honour at the event. The Guests also participated whole-heartedly in the cleaning event and appreciated the efforts of the cadets and even picked up some of the decorative items exhibited by the cadets.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Sushil Poddar appreciated the efforts of the NCC in spreading socially relevant messages among the masses about activities like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Puneet Sagar Abhiyan, No Use of Plastic etc. He also highlighted the importance of “Clean and Green” being the order of the day and businesses today adopting
environmentally-conscious manufacturing processes and rapidly moving towards environment-friendly practices in offices, shops and factories.
Honey Bafna lauded the outcomes of the efforts of just 4 lakh NCC cadets against 140 crore litterers. He also mentioned that rivers being like our mothers and worshipped as goddesses in our culture, it is shameful that we treat them as garbage dumps. The young cadets of NCC are sending out great positive messages to the youth of the country, with activities and events like this. Recalling the words of her parents, the renowned Magicians PC Sorcar Jr and Jayasree Sorcar, Moubani Sorcar mentioned that magic is in the hands and heart and happens when people come together in teamwork. What the NCC cadets are doing, is also like magic, and spreading value across the world.
The Puneet Sagar Abhiyan was launched by the NCC on 01 Dec 2021. In the first month itself, more than 4 lakhs of NCC cadets from coastal areas participated and around 19 tonnes of plastic waste had been collected, with tremendous reception from locals and tourists as well. Seeing the mass popularity of the event, the Puneet Sagar
Abhiyan was extended pan–India, all year round, covering beaches, rivers and major water bodies. Events were held at 1,242 locations across the country, impacting a population of approx 1.2 crores. Hundreds of tonnes of plastic and other solid waste was collected and maximum of it was handed over for recycling.
In West Bengal alone, over 20,000 cadets and ex-NCC alumni conducted events at 56 water bodies across the State, in which more than 8,000 Kgs of plastic waste has been collected and around 4,000 Kgs have been re-cycled. NCC has also adopted important water bodies like Dakshineshwar River Front, Bakkhali Sea Beach, Prinsep Ghat River Front, and Ravindra Sarobar Lake; and carry out cleaning drives and awareness rallies at these areas regularly.
The events conducted till date have received extensive coverage in print and TV media. Notable luminaries who have been associated with the campaign are Shri Firhad Hakim, Hon’ble Cabinet Minister and Mayor of Kolkata, Shri Gulshan Mallick, Hon’ble MLA Panchla, Prof Suranjan Das, Wice Chancellor of Jadavpur University and Shri Debashish Biswas, renowned mountaineer and Everester.
