Lucknow: On the occasion of International Yoga Day, the Swachh Paryavaran Andolan Sena organized a cleanliness drive and yoga session along the banks of the Gomti River, combining environmental conservation with the message of healthy living.
The organization celebrated the day by removing nearly 30 quintals of waste from the Gomti River and its surrounding areas, highlighting the importance of keeping natural water bodies clean. Following the cleanup operation, volunteers participated in a collective yoga session to promote physical and mental well-being.
The cleanliness campaign commenced at 5:30 a.m. near Jhulelal Park, close to Hanuman Setu, under the leadership of Ranjeet Singh, Convener of the Swachh Paryavaran Andolan Sena and a municipal councillor. A large number of volunteers joined the effort, collecting plastic waste, polythene bags, and other discarded materials from the river and its banks.
Subsequently, a formal International Yoga Day programme was held at the riverfront. The event was supported by Zone-3 of the Lucknow Municipal Corporation, which made the necessary arrangements for the yoga session.
Yoga instructor Kiran guided participants through a 45-minute session featuring various yoga postures, pranayama exercises, and meditation techniques. Emphasizing the benefits of regular practice, she described yoga as a key to maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
The programme witnessed active participation from numerous volunteers, including Preeti Jain, Archana Singh, Shagun Tiwari, Shakti Tiwari, Shagun Dubey, Uday Singh, Vishnu Tiwari, Vivek Joshi, Mahendra Pratap Singh, Kamal Dubey, Virendra Joshi, Kamlesh Chaudhary, Rinku Singh, Parvesh Yadav, Ajay Joshi, Pawan, Ramkumar Valmiki, Anand Verma, Lalit Kashyap, Manoj Singh, Shailendra Sinha, Anugrah Singh, Pankaj Tiwari, Mukesh Chaurasia, Sumit Kashyap, Mahendra Kashyap, Sonu Kashyap, J.P. Gupta, Parmesh Joshi, Anshul Bansal, Shiv Soni, Sunil Patel, Sankalp Sharma, Naitik Sahu, Akhil Verma, Rajesh Joshi, and many others.
Speaking on the occasion, Ranjeet Singh said that a clean environment and a healthy life are closely interconnected. “While yoga strengthens individuals physically and mentally, cleanliness drives play a crucial role in ensuring the health of society and the environment,” he said. He urged citizens to contribute towards keeping the Gomti River clean and to make yoga a regular part of their daily routine.
At the conclusion of the programme, participants pledged to spread awareness about cleanliness and environmental protection. The event conveyed a strong message of building a healthier society through the combined principles of environmental stewardship and holistic wellness.
