PIB Summary- 8th November, 2022 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

Ganga Utsav 2022

Why in News?
Recently, the Ministry of Jal Shakti by the collaboration of The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has organized Ganga Utsav- The River Festivals 2022.

About Ganga Utsav

• The NMCG celebrates the festival every year to strengthen the Public – River Connection.
• NMCG is the implementation wing of National Ganga Council, set up in 2016, which replaced the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NRGBA).
• The NMCG has been registered in the Guinness Book of World Records on the first day of Ganga Utsav 2021 for the highest number of photos of handwritten notes that were uploaded on Facebook in an hour.
• It highlights the significance of Jan Bhagidari (People’s Participation) in the revival of Ganga, with a focus on encouraging stakeholder engagement and public participation towards the rejuvenation of river Ganga.

Ganga Utsav 2022

• Dedicating the grand event to the 75 years of Indian Independence (Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav), the aim is to hold similar events at more than 75 locations in states to celebrate the rivers of India.
• The festival will include a blend of art, culture, music, knowledge, poetry, dialogue, and stories.
• Several awareness activities will take place in districts to establish a connection with the locals, and promote Namami Gange as a mass movement.

About National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)

• National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) was registered as a society on under the Societies Registration Act 1860.
• The government had set up the Clean Ganga Fund in 2014 – Using the funded money to finance NMCG (National Mission for Clean Ganga 2011), cleaning the river, setting up Waste Treatment Plants, Conservation of river biodiversity and related R&D projects.
• NMCG is the implementation wing of National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection and Management of River Ganga (referred as National Ganga Council NGC).

The NMCG now has the status of an Authority and its key focus would be maintaining required ecological flows in the Ganga, abate pollution through planning, financing and execution of programmes including that of –

• Augmentation of Sewerage Infrastructure
• Catchment Area Treatment
• Protection of Floodplains
• Creating Public Awareness

Objectives

• The mission incorporates rehabilitating and boosting the existing STPs and instant short-term steps to curb pollution at exit points on the riverfront in order to check the inflow of sewage.
• To maintain the continuity of the water flow without changing the natural season variations.
• To restore and maintain the surface flow and groundwater.
• To regenerate and maintain the natural vegetation of the area.
• To conserve and regenerate the aquatic biodiversity as well as the riparian biodiversity of the river Ganga basin.
• To allow participation of the public in the process of protection, rejuvenation and management of the river.

Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji

Why in News?
The Prime Minister attended and offered prayers at celebrations of the 553rd Prakash Parv of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji at New Delhi. 

About Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji

• The Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469-1539) was born in a village, Talwandi Rai Bhoe, near Lahore (it was renamed later as Nankana Sahib).
• The Guru Nanak Dev Ji initiated inter-faith dialogue way back in the 16th century and had conversations with most of the religious denominations of his times.
• The Guru Nanak Dev Ji, also referred to as Baba Nanak, was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus.
• His birth is celebrated worldwide as Guru Nanak Gurpurab on Katak Pooranmashi i.e October – November.
• His written compositions were included in the Adi Granth compiled by Guru Arjan (1563-1606), the fifth Sikh guru.
• This came to be known as Guru Granth Sahib after the additions made by the 10th Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708).
• In compiling the Adi Granth, Guru Arjan showed a remarkable commitment to pluralism while retaining the unity of thought initiated by Guru Nanak Dev.
• He advocated Nirguna Bhakti.
• He firmly repudiated practices of religions around him like sacrifices, ritual baths, idol worship, austerities, and scriptures of both Hindus and Muslims.
• He appointed Angad to succeed him as the Guru.
• He never wished to establish new religion, but after his death his followers consolidated his practices and distinguished from both Hindus and Muslims by calling themselves ‘Sikhs’.

Above attached image of all the 10 Guru’s of Sikhism.

5 teachings of Guru Nanak Ji

5 teachings of Guru Nanak Ji

• The Guru Nanak ji said “I am neither hindu nor Muslim, I am follower of God”, which actually spoke about his belief in one God. In Sikhism, the god is omnipresent, shapeless, timeless and sightless. (Nirankar, akar, alakh)

No Discrimination

• The Guru Nanak Ji was strongly against all artificially created divisions and all discriminations, both in word and deed.

Stay Away         

• The Guru Nanak ji asked his followers to shun five evils of Ego, Anger, Greed, Attachment and Lust and adopting five virtues Truth, Compassion, Contentment, Discipline and Contemplation

Importance of Guru

• The Guru Nanak Ji laid great emphasis on having the importance of Guru in one’s Life.

Sewa is the Key to Humanity

• As Said by Guru Nanak Ji “In the midst of this world, do Sewa and you shall be given a place of honor in the court of the Lord”.