Captains of industry and trade here have felicitated the Isha Foundation founder, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, who reached the City after traversing 3,080 km on a motorbike, as part of the Cauvery Calling initiative, aimed at revitalising the Cauvery river.

Participating at a function organised at the CODISSIA grounds Tuesday night, State Municipal Administration Minister, S. P. Velumani assured that the Government would provide total support for Cauvery Calling.
“Isha Yoga Centre is in my constituency (Thondamuthur) and I am aware of all their outreach activities. Sadhguru always completes whatever he takes up,” Velumani said and promised that the Government could provide tree saplings required for the purpose and for the implementation the project.

The CODISSIA (Coimbatore District Small Industries Association) president. R. Ramamoorthi, Chairman and Managing Director of Krishna Sweets M Krishnan and Ganga Medical Centre & Hospitals Director Dr S Rahasekaran felicitated Sadhguru on behalf of the association and citizens.

Speaking at the function, Sadhguru said that a 12,000-year history of agriculture had contributed to a flourishing Tamil civilisation. “We are destroying the richness of this soil which is threatening food and water security of future generations. What is our plan for the country? Do we have to be pushed to a corner to come to our senses,” he asked.

Stating that over three lakh farmers have committed suicide in the last 15 to 18 years, a number that’s higher than fatalities in four wars on both sides, he added, “What is really in question right now is our humanity. This is a generational work – as a generation of people, will we do this or not? This is the only question.”

Sadhguru thanked the team of 59 riders who rode with him as part of the rally and the many volunteers who have dedicated their time, effort and resources to Isha Foundation for the last 20 years, and the media for their wholehearted support.

The Cauvery Calling rally which began its journey on September 3 at Talacauvery in Karnataka, traversed the path of river basin to consolidate on-ground, multi-stakeholder support for concerted action to save the river. It culminated on September 17 in Coimbatore.

Cauvery Calling is a first-of-its-kind movement, setting the standard for how India’s rivers – the country’s lifelines – can be revitalised. It will initiate the programme by supporting farmers in the mission to plant 242 crore trees in the entire river basin. It is hoped that this will increase water retention in the basin, while enhancing farmers’ income by 300 to 800 per cent in five to seven years and transforming the lives of 84 million people.