In Calcutta, as dawn breaks, the ghats here come alive. As you near the steps of the ghats, you get encircled with stoic silence, a sense of comfort engulfs you as the gentle breeze touches your face and the sound of the waves crashes on the ghat steps. You witness adults taking a dip, children diving into the water, people nearby walking on the gangplank, trying to make it to the boat as it gears to leave, and a few women offering prayer to the Sun god. But look closely and you will see how these ghats have now become the dumping ground; garbage strewn around, water surface flaked with ceremonial flowers, incense sticks, the steps of the ghats piled up with discarded bottles, food matter, clothes, polythene bags and a lot more.

In an attempt to transform the River Hooghly’s ghats into cleaner, greener and more vibrant community spaces, The River Ambassador Project is now engaging and actively involving those who live and work along the river in the preservation and renewal of these vital public areas. The three-year initiative will train 100 River Ambassadors, engaging them in a structured education program focused on history, sustainability, and safety, with the programme initially taking off with 13 such individuals under the able guidance of Laily Thomson of Kult X; Nilendra  Sarkar, Secretary-Sea Explorers Institute and Sukrit Sen, Kolkata Chapter Lead, Living Waters Museum.

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The first phase of the project has recruited tea sellers, ghat cleaners, and a barber as pilot participants. These individuals who are dependent on the diverse ghats for their livelihoods are being trained in the history and significance of the River Hooghly and its ghats, on cleanliness, sustainability, and waste management practices, as well as life-saving and disaster management skills. Talking about this initiative with The Statesman, Laily Thompson stated, “Our view is that we also need the sustainable involvement of local people who live and work on and around the ghats to keep these places clean and inviting every day. We know changing behaviour is something which takes time. Initially explaining to the local people why they should attend the training was a challenge but once a couple of them expressed interest, others joined. We know we will not have trouble recruiting the next group as many are coming forward themselves now.”

Several small effective changes have been implemented, especially at Champatala Ghat, such as placing buckets for waste collection at tea stalls, a suggestion put forward by the tea seller trainees themselves. Elucidating further, Laily Thompson added, “They have also asked for more lighting on the ghats to prevent any antisocial activity at Champatala Ghat after dark. The Calcutta Illuminations Project has agreed to provide the lighting so I have requested SPM Port for permission to take this forward. I hope that you will see the change soon.”

Acknowledging that these participants are taking time away from their daily earnings, a stipend of Rs.100 per hour of training has been assured by Kult X for which the funds were collected through a ticketing concert featuring ‘Bhoomi’. Engaging with The Statesman, one of the pilot participants, Manish Mallick, a ‘ghoti garam’ seller said, “People now listen to us when we ask them to keep the ghats clean. For example, when I sell ‘ghoti garam’ now, I ensure that the people throw away the paper in baskets after consuming it. We were also given a six-day training on water safety and rescue. Being a part of this initiative not only helps us restore the ghats but also enlightens us on the role we play towards keeping our Kolkata’s rich riverine heritage alive.”