Clean Ganga Expedition next adventure for team Bachendri

NEW DELHI: India's first woman to climb Mt Everest who has just wrapped up an all women desert safari, is gearing up for her next big mission, cleaning up the Ganga.

"We did an expedition 'Great Rafting Voyage' on the Ganga in 1994 which covered the river from Haridwar to Kolkata in 39 days. This time we want to concentrate on cleaning the river," says Pal.

Pal was here to celebrate success of her recent endeavour a 2,300-km-long 'Great Desert Safari'. The 60-year-old heads the Tata Steel Adventure Foundation (TSAF) in Jamshedpur and is president of the Women Adventure Network of India (WANI).

An all-girls team for the 'Clean Ganga' adventure is expected to be finalised soon and Pal says members would be required to be swimmers and possess basic rafting skills and experience.

The iconic mountaineer says the cleaning team would have an on the ground support team too.

"There will be a support team to help us, as when we clean the river we would need people to dispose of the dirt. We intend to involve the government as well as the authorities to help us.

"The course of the adventure has not been decided as yet. But, you can expect this adventure to kickstart this September," she says.

Pal returned on March 22 from a desert safari where she led a 27-member team comprising 14 women selected by TSAF and 13 from the Border Security Force. The mission aimed to spread awareness on the girl child and the importance of empowering them to forge ahead in life.

"It's a momentous occasion for us to have completed the 2300 km of the Great Indian Desert Safari on camel and vehicles. The journey through the tough terrains has provided numerous opportunities to come triumphant in extreme difficult situations," says Pal.