Guwahati: VoE’s Clean, Eco-Friendly & Plastic Free Ambubachi Mela 2023 Initiative

GUWAHATI: Kamakhya Temple, the holiest Shakti-Peetha in the country, is located in Nilachal Hill at Guwahati in Assam. The place has a great mythological importance in country. Its significance as a heritage site shouldn’t be missed out either. As per a recent survey by the India Today group, this temple is among the top 10 tourist destinations in country. Ambubachi Mela held every year at Kamakhya temple is considered a biggest religious gathering in the region and state as millions of devotees and visitors gathered on this auspicious occasion.

Voice of Environment (A Scientific and Environmental Research Organization) is working to meet the targets of the Mission Clean Green Assam initiative. In this regard, a mission was lunched as clean and single use plastic free premise vision which was started from Kamakhya Temple, Guwahati. To that end, VoE has signed an MOU with Kamakhya (Devalaya) Temple Authority, on December 22, 2016.

VoE is trying to make the temple premise as clean, eco-friendly and plastic free tourist destination. Furthermore, VoE spontaneously working to build mass awareness of the temple’s iconic reputation as a heritage site and a rich biodiversity spot to set an example in country towards sustainability said Environmentalist Moharana Choudhury.

As per the aforesaid mission an initiative has been conducted by Voice of Environment and supported by Railway Protection Force (RPF Post Kamakhya) to create awareness among Devotees/Visitors/Sadhsus/Saints to celebrate a clean, eco-friendly and plastic-free Ambubachi Mela 2023. The drive conducted at Kamakhya Railway Station on 19th June 2023.

The awareness drive and the Signature Campaign have been started in the Kamakhya Railway Station premises with facilitation in the presence of Station Superintendent Mr.Gunajit Sarma, Mr Saram, Inspector RPF, Mr Vikaram, RPF Security Personals and other railway officials. The VoE team is led by Environmentalist Moharana Choudhury, Bhaskar Hazarika, Subita Dutta, Anju Gogoi and other VoE members.

The Awareness drive and the Signature campaign were conducted among the Devotees/Visitors/Sadhsus/Saints who came from across the country to visit the Maa Kamakhya Temple on the occasion of Ambubachi Mela 2023 to create a clean, eco-friendly plastic-free zone within the temple’s premise and Kamakhya Railway Station.

VoE is also initiated a Signature Campaign led by Bhaskar Hazarika. It was witnessed approx. 600 to 700 signatures were done by the Devotees/Visitors/Sadhus/Saints. The awareness drive was led by SubitaDutta and AnjuGogoi by interacting and interviewing the tourists/ devotees/Shadhus/Saints during the program and recorded several interviews cum interactive sessions to understand the views of the people from different parts of the country regarding this cause. Mr. Sarma (Station Superintendent)has also appreciated the initiatives taken by VoE at the Railway station premises on the occasion of the auspicious Ambubachi Mela.

It was noticed that most of the Devotees/Visitors supported this initiative as cleanliness, beat plastic pollution and proper waste disposal aspect in such a heritage place. The team also tried to create mass awareness about the hazardous effect of plastic waste generation. The team is spontaneously trying to build a ‘Mass citizen consciousness’ that will build a habit of sustainable practices to counter the habit of using plastic items regularly and also will send a strong message about the eco-friendly and cleanliness mission in the region and globe.

Also Read: Himachal Pradesh: 26 Tourists Rescued From Kareri Lake, Amid Heavy Rain

Also Watch: