Perturbed over reports that the Gangotri glacier is retreating like other glaciers in the Himalayas, a part-time school teacher from West Bengal, who began a national bicycle rally to create awareness on global warming, arrived here on Sunday, on his way to Kerala.
S. Ram Prasad Naskar, a dalit from Sonarpur district, had began the ‘National Cycle Rally’ on December 18 from Paribesh Bhavan, Salt lake, Kolkata, focussing on global warming and its potential threat.
Sponsored by the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports of West Bengal, Mr. Naskar had met the heads of Pollution Control Boards in Jharkhand, Odisha, Chattisgarh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, carrying placards that read “Global warming is threat to us and keep it away” and “Ozone layer is depleting and cosmic ray is invading us.”
“I pedal for ten to 12 hours a day, covering a distance of 100 to 150 km. I rest at night, at the roadside dabhas and dharmasalas,” says Mr. Naskar, who would be reaching Kerala after visiting Rameswaram and Madurai on Monday.
The 35-year-old bachelor, who hailed from a poor family, takes pride in the six-month long rally. “This is my simple contribution in creating awareness among people on global warming and the threat posed by it,” he says.
He had no money to buy a sports bicycle and was pedalling an ordinary bicycle. He proposed to complete the rally on June 4 at Agartala, covering a total distance of 13,000 km, he said.
A B.Sc-B.Ed graduate, Mr. Naskar was working in the Sreepar Siksha Sadan High School as a para-teacher and has taken leave for undertaking the rally.
He undertook his first 21-day bicycle rally during October-November in 2010, creating awareness on pollution control, and another rally in December 2012 from Gangasagar to the foothill of eastern Himalaya for 23 days.
“This is my longest rally and I am confident of successfully completing with the support of the people en-route,” he says.
When he arrived here on Sunday afternoon, he ran into Mr. N.Karthikeyan, President of Rotary Club of Ramnad and other members, who helped arrange lunch and accommodation for him in Rameswaram and Madurai.
