World River day: PM Modi urges on "Man Ki Baat" to observe "River Festival"

Prime Minister Narendra Modi encouraged individuals to celebrate the 'river festival' on the occasion of "World River Day" on Sunday to interface with the traditions which are associated with rivers for quite a long time in our country. 

Addressing the 81st episode of his monthly radio program 'Mann Ki Baat', PM Modi said, "We mark so many days, but there is one more day we should celebrate. It is 'World River Day'. This day is such which is very consistent with the traditions of India."

He called September an important month, a month when we celebrate World River Day, and said it is a day to remember the contribution of our rivers that magnanimously give us water. 

The Prime Minister said for Indian rivers are not a "physical thing, but a living entity"."As we celebrate World River Day today, I encourage individuals across the nation to mark a 'river festival' at least one time each year," he said. 

"In our scriptures, even a little pollution in the rivers is said to be wrong," he said and encouraged individuals to follow the principles of Mahatma Gandhi "who had accomplished crafted by making cleanliness a mass development" and keep the rivers clean. 

The radio program comes after his as of late finished-up visit to the United States where he addressed the 76th meeting of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).