'Clean and Green' should be the buzzword for the Mahakumbh slated to be held in January next year and our topmost priority should be to undertake massive sapling plantation drive combined with effective garbage disposal and provision of clean toilets, said Swami Chidanand Saraswati of Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh while interacting with the media and people alike during the course of his daylong visit here on Wednesday.

Issuing a clarion call to make the Mahakumbh a memorable one, the Swami who is the moving spirit behind the clean Ganga campaign at the public level, said that after the failure of Ganga Action Plan (GAP) it is the turn of GAP-II (Ganga Action Pariwar) to fill the void. The slogan of this pariwar (family) is "no ninda and no chanda" which means no criticism and no donation and instead the focus should be keeping the holy river clean before the Mahakumbh-2013.

Stating that after the declaration of Ganga as the national river, work is on to compose the Ganga Anthem which would be completed before the Mahakumbh and released subsequently on any auspicious occasion, Swami Chidanand said "not only the government, society and saints should strive to make the Ganga clean but also the non-government organisations(NGO).People should give their time, talent and use the available technology at their disposal to make the river free from pollution on the occasion of Mahakumbh.

He informed that our efforts have bore fruit at places like Rishikesh where the level of pollution has come down drastically and now it is the turn of Allahabad. The daily Ganga Aarti at the ghats of Varanasi is the result of relentless efforts undertaken by Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh and the same practise can be started in Allahabad also if saints and locals make a combined effort.

With an aim to develop the Kumbh Mela area, eco-friendly, the Swami said that "We have submitted a proposal to the district authorities requesting sanctioning of a piece of land in Mela area which in turn would be developed as "Kumbh Smriti Van" where devotees coming across the globe would plant saplings. This would also go to a large extent in checking environmental pollution in the area".

Earlier inagurating a daylong workshop on " Clean and Green Mahakumbh" in the city on Wednesday, divisional commissioner, Devesh Chaturvedi said that by keeping the forthcoming Mahakumbh free from pollution we would set an example before the world.

The basic objective behind organising the workshop is to make the people aware about three things namely prohibition on the use of polythene in and around the city and secondly participation of the city in clean India campaign.Lastly we would strive towards organising a massive sapling plantation campaign.