Mahakumbh Nagar, Feb 21 (PTI) Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Paatil took a holy dip at Sangam -- the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers -- here on Saturday.

Asserting that the Ganga is a symbol of India's cultural heritage and spiritual faith, he pledged to strengthen its conservation and cleanliness campaign.

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He also lauded the Yogi Adityanath government's arrangements for the Maha Kumbh, particularly in ensuring cleanliness, a reliable drinking water system, and traffic management.

Paatil highlighted the government's unwavering commitment under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership to ensuring a clean and uninterrupted Ganga.

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Addressing devotees gathered at the Maha Kumbh, the Union minister urged them to take collective responsibility for keeping the Ganga clean and emphasized the need for behavioural change to protect the river.

"It is our collective duty to maintain the purity of the Ganga. Every citizen must contribute to keeping this holy river clean," he said.

Paatil said the government has been implementing new schemes to conserve water resources and keep rivers pollution-free.

"It is our utmost duty to serve Maa Ganga. The government will leave no stone unturned to ensure that this holy river remains clean and its flow uninterrupted," he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)