Youth spread awareness about cycling

The rally was organised by the Kanpur Nagrik Manch.

Kanpur:  About 450 people, including students and elderly, in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, took part in a cycle rally to spread awareness about saving fuel and keeping fit by taking up cycling in daily life.

The participants, which also included NCC cadets and scouts, enthusiastically cycled down along with a small group of differently-abled from the Spastics Centre.

The rally was organised by the Kanpur Nagrik Manch (KNM) that is the Kanpur Citizens Forum, which espouses several civic and social issues.

The slogan of the rally was “Cycle Chalao, Eedhan Bachao, Swasth Banao” (Keep cycling, save fuel, keep fit).

Addressing the gathering, convener of KNM Chhotebhai said that the fuel import bill was having an adverse impact on the nation’s Current Account Deficit, and thereby the economy.

“It was therefore imperative that the citizens, especially the youth, took to cycling. It would also reduce pollution and make for a healthier lifestyle,” he said.

Chhotebhai said that Pope Francis had appealed to priests and nuns to eschew their cars and return to cycles. “One should not be ashamed or embarrassed to use cycle,” he said.

Holland is a rich country but it is the cycling capital of the world. Puducherry, which has a cosmopolitan culture, also has a vast number of cyclists.

While earlier visiting several schools to invite them for the rally, the KNM was surprised to hear the lament of school principals that youngsters were loath to cycle and came on two-wheelers.

At the rally, the KNM appealed to the traffic police to make the roads safe for cyclists.

Source: press release