Like I said earlier, the work should go on and the cause should not stop.
I was serious then and I am quite serious now. To strengthen this thought, we went today morning to one such place, in contact with the people from Jeevitnadi who are actually working for the same cause.
Let me paint a picture of what happened today morning? A mesmerizing morning, people with their running shoes on the streets, a cluster of people on the roadside sipping a cup of tea, scanty vehicles on the road some workers cleaning the roadside, dog lovers with the dogs outside enjoying the cool breeze and tall buildings. Amongst this place, we found a place that is quite far away from this hustle and bustle. A place I never thought existed in Pune city. Lush green trees, beautiful flowers, creepers and climbers on the trunks of huge sturdy trees, moss-covered wells, tall grasses, the canopy of trees with the rays of light falling down creating a halo effect, birds building their nest, few animals, a colony of bats and yes, our very own river which had pulled us towards itself. Ram Nadi confluence is what I am talking about. A place where we could sit and have a peaceful time, a place to have lovely camping, a place where children could jump and hang from the branches of the tree and play hide and seek is unfortunately filled with heaps of plastic, glass bottles, leftover cigarette butts, carcasses of boxes, old worn-out clothes, leftover household waste, and whatnot.
It was a site I could never forget! This is why we immediately decided that we are taking the group of children who have volunteered to save the rivers to clean up the mess. I am excited to start because I know, it’s already very late and if we don’t begin now will have no rivers, probably small automated water capsules, and some memories of fun by the river.
All I know is, it’s our place- our Earth. If we can’t keep it clean who else would?
It’s always said, “Charity begins at home!”
By
Rashmi Bindra
