‘Green Yatra’ and 400+ volunteers keeping Mumbai beaches clean post Ganesh Chaturthi

. by Samarpita Mukherjee Sharma

Small efforts can make a big difference-we all can. If living a little simple, we make this world a better and  beautiful place, is it not worth a try? GREEN YATRA, as the name implies, has embarked on a journey to safekeep Mother Nature for future generations. The journey unfolded as Dr. Pradeep Tripathi, Executive Director, Green Yatra,  informs us, in Mumbai (2009), when idols of Ganesha floating on the beaches following Ganesh Chaturthi festival led to the germination of GO GREEN movement to rescue marine life from being throttled. The campaign begun with a conviction by Dr. Pradeep Tripathi and Durgesh Gupta, has burgeoned into a movement today with 400+volunteers and 50+interns, committed to ensure a ‘Clean, Green and Pollution-free Mother Earth.’

- Kawaldeep Kour, Youth Leader India

Envisioning a safe secure habitat for the future has been the motivation for innovation at Green Yatra, with initiatives as Go GREEN Ganesha, Go GREEN Kids and Zaroorat-A Need (launching shortly). Driven with a passion and fired with extraordinary vision to protect and preserve the natural ecosystem for all living creatures, Green Yatra intends to inform, enlighten and educate on the efficacy of how every small conscious effort made by each individual can make a great difference to save Mother Nature. Promotion of environmental sustainability through education, campaign and community participation, creating mass awareness among people to recognize their personal positive and negative impact on earth, environment and global warming and promoting activities to minimize their negative impact on the same through daily lives small efforts is what the GO GREEN movement strives for. Operating from   Bhayandar (East) Thane, in Mumbai, Green Yatra networks with NGO’s across India. Expansion plans in major cities across India are also on the anvil.

As Dr. Pradeep believes, ‘Every event has a purpose and every setback its lesson.’It is his vision and belief that has transformed an initiative into a movement-‘To be the Change and Bring the Change.’GREEN YATRA have had its share of challenges- funds, support and association from government and corporates, which have been both difficult and motivating. Support and appreciation from people who felt inspired by this ennobling mission have been pouring in along with positive results of efforts to bring change for nature and society as well.

What has been the propellant at GREEN YATRA? It is the sheer joy and dream come true, as we are informed, of trust, goodwill and popular support that the initiative has come to enjoy. Its recent enterprise –of involving the future generation to save the enviornment for future generations has led to the Go GREEN Kids - a unique, innovative International environmental educational and practical initiative where children get a chance to be part of the campaign, talk shows, Eco-natural picnics, tree plantation workshops and lots more. Till now it has garnered the support of approximately 5 million plus students in various schools across India and they hope to involve 200+ million children across India. While ZAROORAT – A Need, is meant to a self-sustainable effort with plans to set up 500+ collection centers across Mumbai where donations of books, clothes, stationary, home appliances, utensils etc. These would be collected, sorted sewed, packed, transported and distributed to the rural areas & urban slums throughout India.

Calling people charged up with enthusiam and passion for nature to devote time and energy to the pursuit of a worthy cause, GREEN YATRA, voices a recurring need  of youth to pursue social entrepreneurship as not just a career but as a ‘social necessity.’It is undoubtedly a great responsibility and the pursuit of it has its rewards and challenges. At GREEN YATRA, the voyage has just commenced- the expedition to spread the green voice to save Mother Earth.

For all you nature lovers, its

www.greenyatra.org

http://zaroorat-a-need.blogspot.com.

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About the author

Kawaldeep Kour: I am a Research Scholar at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati. Reading is a passion and Writing- a self satisfying experience. I strongly believe in the power of dreams and visualise myself as a Dream Maker. Weaving magic with words is what I wish to accomplish.