Ganga Clean Up Gets Rs 1,394 Boost

Kempty Falls in Mussoorie

The brand ambassador of Indian Hockey, Bollywood star Suneil Shetty is reported to have said that Indian Hockey needs aggressive marketing on the likes of IPL to bring an end to its misery.


Motorcycle races, marathons, walkathons, dance shows and vintage cars have sponsors.

As we surf through channels on TV it becomes obvious that companies are desperately looking out for avenues of visibility. We have important companies doling out large sums of money to sponsor silly soaps and serials that add no value either aesthetic or intellectual. Obviously what supporters aim for is visibility and therefore the great interest in TRP.

Spot the ugly plastic bottle flowing down the graceful Kempty Falls

Now consider this:

Ganga Clean Up Gets Rs 1,394 Boost – TOI, 6th March, 2010

Union Environment and Forest Minister Sri Jairam Ramesh declares with pride that a loan of one billion dollars is being worked out with the World Bank for Ganga Cleaning Project.

Now the Ganga Cleaning Project or Projects involving cleansing of any Indian river for that matter has the following commercial aspects in their favour.

Rivers are close to the heart of every Indian and any brand associated with cleansing of rivers would win Consumer appeal immediately.

Rivers run across states. Companies associated with river cleansing would get vast exposure and coverage.

Being eco-friendly is increasingly a happening youth statement. Cars are going green, Commonwealth games go green, companies wanting ISO certification need to go green. Cleaning the river is a totally ‘green’ activity. Every company in India would benefit from association with such project.

Media would love such a venture and that would give associated companies great mileage.

Why do we need to borrow large sums of money from the World Bank and go greater into the red, while we know that sponsors would fall over one another in a race to help the country go green?

We need to market the concept. Money will just pour in.

Inevitably companies involved would like to actually see the river actually getting cleaner. Work and accountability would be demanded and examined. Hype without result would mean negative publicity! And no company would like that.

The country saves itself from loans, companies gain visibility, media gets great material to cover.

Cleansing the river would then become an annual event gaining more and more popularity and sponsorship.

Finally, the rivers would actually become clean and not many hands would get dirty!



Minister, am I talking sense?