The Art of Living, under its Himalay Unnati Mission, organised a special event to mark World River Day. The programme was held at the Art of Living residential Gurukul at Chaminoo village near Chamba.
Thirty-seven students and 12 locals enthusiastically participated in the event. The primary objective of the programme was to raise awareness about the need to conserve rivers and protect the environment.
Dr Mohinder Kumar Slariya, who has been working on challenges related to rivers in the Himalayan region, was the chief guest on the occasion. He emphasised the importance of conserving rivers.
Art of Living’s media in-charge Manuj Sharma also shared his thoughts on the significance of rivers and encouraged everyone to contribute to the cleaning and preservation of local water bodies.
The event featured a tree plantation drive, discussions on conservation of rivers and a river worship ceremony. Participants planted trees and pledged to safeguard the rivers. During the river worship ceremony, they expressed gratitude toward the rivers, asserting the community’s collective responsibility to protect them.
Meanwhile, in the remote subdivision of Pangi, residents of Dharwas village celebrated World River Day by cleaning local water sources in collaboration with the Himalay Unnati Mission.
Dharwas village, known for its ancient water sources and scenic rivers, saw community members unite to clean these vital resources and raising awareness about the need to preserve these.
The organisers said the drive was not only a significant step towards protecting the environment, but also reflected the unity of the community. The joint efforts of students and the local community highlighted their commitment to safeguarding natural resources, they added.
