Don't throw pollutants into Ganga, says President Pranab Mukherjee

Stressing on the need to protect the Ganga, President Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday said it must be ensured that no pollutants are thrown into the river as he batted for the Clean Ganga initiative.

Inaugurating a 51-ft statue of Lord Shiva facing the river at Banshidhar Jalan Smriti Mandir at Salkia in nearby Howrah, he said that the river has tremendous influence, right from its starting point to its mouth in the Bay of Bengal.

"The civilisational growth of this vast region was centred around Ganges. That's why I consider the Clean Ganga call to be one of the most appropriate measures," he said.

The President asked the trustees of the Salkia temple to ensure that no polluting element is thrown into the Ganga. He added that they can make one of the objectives of the trust and temple to clean up the river. Mukherjee further said that all religions give out a message of love, compassion and humanity.

"Always, we should remember that in whatever form we remember God, whatever we pronounce in salutations, all religions speak of only one message -- that is the message of love, compassion, humanity," he said.