Varanasi: With the onset of monsoon and the possibility of floods, the Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VMC) has intensified efforts to protect the Ganga from pollution.A joint team of the VMC and Namami Gange carried out a large-scale cleanliness drive along the river on Wednesday, removing around 1,000 kg of waste from the sandy riverbed on the opposite bank to prevent it from being washed into the Ganga as water levels rise.During the Shramdan campaign, the team collected discarded clothes, polythene, plastic bottles, diapers, worship material and nirmalya scattered across the sand. The waste was loaded onto boats specially deployed by the VMC and transported directly to a disposal plant.The campaign also focused on creating public awareness among devotees and tourists visiting the river.Namami Gange Kashi Kshetra coordinator and VMC cleanliness brand ambassador Rajesh Shukla said a large number of tourists and devotees visit the opposite bank of the Ganga, making it essential to remove the accumulated waste before floodwaters carry it into the river.
