Faithful Commitment to Conservation of Nature

The general outlook of people of Bharat and their comprehension regarding various issues is deeply imbued as well as embedded in the cultural and religious context. Such a disposition is actually a boon if it can be channelized in the right direction.

The proposed International Chatth Festival primarily aims to raise awareness amongst the masses regarding the real significance of Chatth Puja in relation to conservation of environment and invoke people into action so that every devotee undertake the responsibility for protection, conservation and development of our nature or natural resources. The proposed project would strive to develop consciousness and a sense of responsibility amongst the masses so that each and every devotee would not only fulfill but also take forward the essential and spiritual significance of Chatth Puja to the future generation. Thus, the project aspires to create a forum for mobilization of faithful devotees of Chatth Puja for furthering the river and water body restoration drive as an extension of our cultural heritage which is deeply rooted in nature conservation.

In fact the project would be based on the similar lines as the “Namami Devi Narmade Seva Yatra” championed by the Madhya Pradesh Government. The project would also be an appendage to the larger Swacch Bharat Mission initiated by Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Moreover, this project would be a manifestation of this year’s World Environment Day theme - “Connecting people to nature”.

Thus the three broad based intervention areas of the projects would be as follows:

1. Chatth Puja Festival

The project aspires to organize an International Chatth Puja Festival, wherein, artists would be invited from all those regions of Bharat where Chatth is celebrated. These artists and creative performers would be encouraged to disseminate the spiritual as well as cultural significance of the festival through their art forms. Moreover, theatre groups would be engaged in this project so that on the International Chatth Festival, street plays could be performed which would spread the eternal message of Chatth Puja and would sensitize the people on the issue of environmental conservation

2. Mass awareness and sensitization Campaign

During the International Chatth Puja Festival, a mass awareness and sensitization campaign would be launched which will be carried on for two years in the target areas, i.e. till the year 2019 championing the Swatch Bharat Mission and environmental causes initiated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister.

The projects would run mass sensitization awareness campaign in the selected areas, where Chatth Puja is zealously celebrated, to restore and conserve water bodies through desiltation, cleanliness drives, plantation drives and catchment area development. Such awareness and sensitization campaign would in turn not only change people’s perspective towards the festival but also the way it should be celebrated keeping in mind one of the raison d’être of the festival, that is, environmental conservation. Through the mass awareness campaign a strong linkage would be established between the festival and river conservation. This would further facilitate mass contribution in the river restoration and conservation campaigns and initiatives of government and other nonprofit organizations.

3. The awareness and sensitization campaign can be taken forward through various platforms as follows:

Endorsement by celebrities from the Chatth region regarding environment conservation and Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan through TV commercials, Videos on whatsapp as well as through posters and banners.

Local leaders such as MLAs, MPs and block officers can be engaged in the campaign and motivated to hold public meetings through which the common masses can be encouraged to celebrate Chatth Puja in the true spirit of

Conserving Mother Nature

The Prime Minister of Bharat in his address can commit that BJP ruling states will be assisting the Chatth Puja devotees in making this initiative a grand success and thus perpetually sustainable.

Especially in the state of Bihar, the state BJPmotivated to zealously and aggressively carry forward the campaign so as to reach party can be engaged and out to the masses and in turn leave their mark.

Impaneling schools and college to bring students to partner in the project as active campaigners and advocates of change. These students would go door-to-door in the identified areas and talk to people so as to make them aware of the bit that every individual can do to make the Chatth festival, a celebration of conservation of nature.

The Ministry of Environment can be motivated to take up a special project with public participation for desiltation of water bodies, catchment area development, and plantation drive on river banks as a subsequent step to the whole campaign after this Chatth Puja.