Eco Friends is in the process of creating a network of concerned policy makers (at the local, state and national levels), religious leaders, opinion builders/ eminent persons, media and NGOs. The proposed name for the network is Ganga Forum (GF).

Role: GF is proposed to be an initiative to build an influential group of key actors as a valuable ally to the activities of Eco-Friends. Through the Forum we seek to encourage debate and promote cooperation and collaboration on restoring the ecological health of the river Ganga.

Structure: GF would have a broad membership criterion. It would consist of local self-government officials, state legislature members and other officials as well national level parliamentarians. Besides, it would have concerned opinion builders/eminent persons, media persons and influential religious leaders.

Functions: The initiatives proposed are sharing of information on the state of health of the river, receive inputs/reports from Eco-Friends in informal meetings, contribute in awareness programs, participation of eminent persons in lectures and in field visits. GF would assist Eco-Friends in ongoing advocacy and lobbying with concerned agencies for achieving the overall goals of the project.

Meetings of some eminent citizens of Kanpur have already been held and a core group has already been formed. More people would be co-opted in the forum through the efforts of the core members. Eco-Friends has already contacted 110 local corporators, around 100 women of All India Women’s Conference, all the local MPs, MLAs and some religious leaders and other distinguished people to join the Forum.