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Courtesy – Indian Army
The Indian Army & TA pioneered to raise the first Composite Ecological Task force (CETF) in the world for Rejuvnation of River Ganga in May 2019 under the ongoing National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), funded by Ministry of Jal Shakti.
137 CETF also called Ganga Task Force is Ex-servicemen based unit, with charter to augment the larger role of NMCG in Rejuvnation of the Ganges. The unit has laid down specific tasks that include Plantation of vetiver for river bank stabilization, ghat patrolling, conduct of awareness program. One of the important tasks is pollution monitoring that is used by NMCG as a yardstick to compare samples of other agencies. Based on the exemplary performance of unit, 01 addl Company was concurred to be raised for Rejuvnation of Gomti Tributary by NMCG and GoI. Thus, a Govt Sanction Letter to raise Gomti Coy was issued on 09 Sep 2024 with strength of 04 Junior Commissioned officers, 100 Ex-servicemen and be based out of Lucknow.
The Gomti Company, has thus become effective on 01 January 2025 with a soft raising ceremony held by HQ Central Comd. The mega raising event will be inaugurated by the Honble Minister of Jal Shakti, the DGTA and GOC IN C Central Comd sometime in 2nd week of January 2025.
The River Rejuvnation projects are the need of the hour deserving maximum support and IA is focussed in this approach with active support to the cause. Raising Gomti fulfills long pending aspirations of the people of Lucknow and gives impetus to ongoing Govt efforts in River Rejuvnation.
It also enhances focus to other Rivers to include raising of the Yamuna Task Force (YTF) which is under consideration by the NMCG.
