Page 57 - Mann Ki Baat April 2022

nakamura, Basanti Devi are some be made in every district of our
water warriors who have been country in the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit
felicitated with Padma Awards in Mahotsav’. Some old lakes can be
the past eight years. rejuvenated; some new ones can
be dug. I am sure you will definitely
One such inspiration, Basanti
make some effort in this direction.”
Devi, is an environmentalist and
This resolve moved many across
a Padma Shri Awardee, and hails
the country and one such
from Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand.
example is of the citizens of Gram
Her tireless effort to save Kosi river
Panchayat Patwai of Rampur,
from drying up is an inspiration
Uttar Pradesh, who came together
to one and all. To bring Kosi
and transformed an old pond
river back to life, she raised an
into an Amrit Sarovar. This village
awareness campaign and turned
pond which was earlier filled
the forest department and women
with filth and heaps of garbage
of the village into allies who
was revamped and rejuvenated
supported each other’s efforts in
reforestation. In the year 2016, she within just a few weeks with the
was awarded with the highest efforts of the Panchayat, locals
award for women in India, the 'Nari and most importantly, the school
Shakti Puruskar.' children. This Amrit Sarovar is
now beautified with a retaining
A call that inspired a wall, boundary wall, a food court,
billion people fountains and lights.
In his 'Mann ki Baat' address of The Government of India, under
March 2022, PM Shri Narendra Modi the leadership of Shri Narendra
gave a clarion call to the citizens- Modi, is now taking a giant leap
“...at least 75 Amrit Sarovars can forward to convert the Amrit

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