Saints to go in for 'Bhoo Samadhi' to save environment

Hardwar, Sep 27 (UNI) In a pro-environment decision, the saints here have decided to give up the age old practice of 'Jal Samadhi' (water burial) and instead adopt 'Bhoo Samadhi' (burial underground) to save the environment and river Ganga from further pollution.

Responding to the increasing demand of the public, including environmentalists, the All India Akhara Parishad, an apex body of the sant community, in a meeting, attended by the representatives of all the 13 Akharas of the different sects of the Hindu sants, yesterday decided to give up the practice of 'Jal Samadhi' and adopt 'Bhoo Samadhi'.

Parishad general secretary Swami Hari Giri said they would soon demand land from the administration to follow the new practice to reduce the increasing level of pollution in the rivers, including the Ganga.

Welcoming their decision, District Magistrate Anand Vardhan, meanwhile, told UNI today that the administration would provide 16 hectare land near the Bheemgoda Barrage and 239 hectare land in the Devpura forest beat at Kankhal for 'Bhoo Samadhi' to the dead saints.

UNI XC-ATI BST1325