In service for 30 years to make villages model ones

Volunteers of Om Wahe Guru Rishi Ashram, presently camping at Upper Marg in Magh Mela area, are working for over 30 years, making the hamlets of the country model ones by working with gram pradhans.
With a strength of 2,500 members comprising men and women, the organisation headed by Guru Sant Harbans Sahebji, also serves lunch and dinner to devotees and kalpwasis at Magh Mela from the auspicious occasion of Paush Purnima to Maghi Purnima every year.
It started in 1984, when Sant Harbansh Sahebji, then a government employee, decided to work for masses. It started with the work for uplift of medical facilities and education of people of slums at Delhi which later spread to villages in National Capital Region (NCR).
“We discourage free help, so villagers are engaged in work like installation of handpumps, building schools, subways and other basic amenities for the village in which they reside. In this manner, the village gets basic amenities, facilities and they get employment as well,” convener Satyam said.
He said, “In non-descript villages and hamlets where help is needed, we demand a list of from gram pradhan. After verifying their financial status, we help them in getting a source of livelihood, education for their children. In case, their children need skill-based courses for employment, we also help them. The ashram also facilitate the villagers in getting their Below Poverty Line ration card or Antodya card by approaching the authorities concerned.”
A village near Ghaziabad and 11 villages in National Capital Region have been adopted. Villages of Ludhiana, Gurgaon, Amritsar and Talwada had been adopted. The ashram has also adopted villages in Rajasthan.
“A total of 27 villages and slums have been adopted till date,” he added.
The fund comes from ashram followers, who donate money for adopting a village. Around 500 members of ashram are camping at Magh Mela.