Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh), Dec 15 (IANS): Veterans from the armed forces will come together with government, non-government and individual organisations to hold a 'padyatra' for revival and rejuvenation of the Ganga river.

The 'padyatra' called the 'Atulya Ganga' yatra, from Prayagraj will be held from December 16 and will be inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Union Ministers for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Culture and Tourism Prahlad Patel through video conferencing.

The 5,100-kilometre yatra will cover 45 cities, 5,000 villages, forests, mountains and glaciers.

Vijay Shukla, member of Green India Foundation that is one of the organisations participating in the yatra, said, "The yatra will last around eight months and volunteers will carry out mapping of several small and big drains along with sewage points which are discharging pollutants into the Ganga. We aim to encourage the public to join the yatra."

He said that the yatra is a unique initiative launched by 'Incredible Ganga' an organisation formed by Armed Forces veterans.

The padyatra will start from Sangam in Prayagraj on Wednesday and culminate at the same place on August 14, 2021 after the volunteers visit Ganga Sagar and Gaumukh.

A plantation drive would also be organized along the route of the yatra.

Apart from ministries like Jal shakti, culture and tourism, other organisations like ITBP, Nehru Parvatarohan Sansthan, Nehru Yuva Kendra, NCC, Green India Foundation, Ganga Sewa Manch and Prayagraj Foundation have joined the initiative.