Save Ganga: Swami Aatmabodhanand breaks 194 day-long fast after assurance from NMCG

New Delhi, May 05: Swami Aatmabodhanand, the seer who was on fast for 194 days to save River Ganga broke his fast after receiving written assurances from the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).

The seer was on a fast in Haridwar for the past 194 days with an aim to save the holy river.

He was made to break his fast by having juice in the presence of Haridwar Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Kusum Chouhan and other officials.

"NMCG Director General Rajeev Ranjan met me on April 25 and gave it in writing that steps will be taken regarding dams as discussed. He also gave an account of the actions taken against mining," Swami Aatmabodhanand told ANI.

He added, "It is a positive initiative of the government and NMCG so I have broken my fast for now.

Atmabodhanand had sat on fast on October 24 after taking up the baton from veteran environmental activist G. D. Agrawal aka Swaroop Sanand who passed away while agitating against construction of big dams on Ganga.

Last October, Agrawal, also known as Swami Sanand, died after fasting for 111 days for a clean and free-flowing Ganga. Following his death, one of the ashram's senior-most seers, Brahmachari Dayanand, announced he would continue the fast. However, a young seer volunteered that the baton should go to him instead. This young seer is Brahmachari Aatmabodhanand, a 26-year- old computer science drop out from an engineering college in Kerala. He has been at the ashram for over five years now.

For his daily nutrition, Aatmabodhanand used to sips a mixture of water, honey, salt and lemon. He spends most of his time either meeting visitors to discuss issues around the Ganga or reading on his mobile phone.