MUMBAI: Star India?s popular Hindi General Entertainment Channel Life OK today announced the launch of Mahadev Ganga Mahotsav, an awareness drive to find plausible solutions to conserve River Ganga.

India?s lifeline river Ganga continues to suffer from pollution despite efforts put in by various bodies to restore its lost health. The worsening state of the Ganga has affected millions of lives and requires firm resolve from all stakeholders to unite in their efforts to protect the river.

Life OK, guided by the philosophy of "Cherish what you have", has strived to make a real difference to people?s lives in its year-long journey. Mahadev Ganga Mahotsav takes the channel?s intent forward and is a step to encourage general public to make efforts for preserving their beloved Ganga.

Mahadev Ganga Mahotsav covers four modules that include the Samvaad, School Contact Program, Mohalla & DTD (Door to Door) Contact Program and Ghat Contact Program. The School Contact Program involves children in creative activities while educating them on River Ganga?s glory. Mohalla & DTD (Door to Door) Contact Program will engage with women on a large scale and create awareness on the cause among the masses. The Ghat Contact Program will have a two-fold impact by involving students for Ghat cleaning programme. The Mahotsav will be concluded with an entertaining evening hosted by Manoj Tiwari and other well-known performers.

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Ajit Thakur, General Manager, Life OK, said "Mahadev Ganga Mahotsav is an awareness drive aimed at educating masses on the deteriorating condition of River Ganga. It is also a well-intentioned step to jolt them from their slumber and inspire them to do their bit for India?s national river. We are delighted to have launched this initiative in Haridwar and hope that people will take responsibility and transform into agents of change. Life OK and Samvaad will set the tone of action that is required to preserve the revered Ganga. It will aim at providing a hope to the residents of Haridwar in the future their city and its lifeline Ganga."

Mahadev Ganga Mahotsav consists of a series of events that will bring to the fore many unresolved issues. The Samvaad in Haridwar will act as a platform for discussing and ideating ways to clean and save Ganga and motivate people to take action. An esteemed panel consisting of Shri Vijay Bahuguna, Honourable Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Shrimati Amrita Rawat, Environment & Tourism Minister, Uttarakhand and Shri BD Tripathi, environmentalist & member of National Ganga River Basin Authority will discuss pertinent issues, including dumping, pollution and other factors that impact the health of the river, at the launch of Mahadev Ganga Mahotsav.

Reputed thought leaders and opinion makers such as Dr. Chinmay Pandya, Pro Vice Chancellor - Dev Sanskriti University, Haridwar and Gandhiwadi Purshottam Sharma, Vice President of Shri Ganga Sabha, Hardiwar will also participate in the Samvaad to deliberate on the current state of Ganga and efforts required to restore its health.

Mahadev Ganga Mahotsav will be held in eight cities across the states of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi and West Bengal between January and May 2013. After Haridwar, the Mahadev Ganga Mahotsav moves to Varanasi followed by New Delhi. With hopes of becoming the harbinger of change, the Mahadev Ganga Mahotsav promises to take small differentiating steps that are essential to ensure a brighter future for Ganga.

Mumbai: A majority of married women in India experience domestic violence and the United Nation Population Fund Report puts that number at around two-thirds. It estimates as many as 70 per cent of married women in the country between the age of 15 and 49 are victims of beating, rape or forced sex.

Life OK?s drama series, `Saubhagyavati Bhava? seeks to highlight the plight of women who experience such abuse through the story of Jhanvi, a newly wed middle-class housemaker. Her husband Viraj suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) and the character is surprisingly both, abusive and charming at once, leaving Jhanvi physically, mentally and emotionally tortured.

To get the message across and beyond the small screen and to help alleviate the pain of women suffering this torture in everday life, Life OK has tied up with Breakthrough?s Bell Bajao initiative. The 360-degree campaign encourages men to be catalysts in bringing down cases of domestic violence.

As part of this tie-up, Life Ok and Bell Bajao will jointly host ?awareness camps? to educate people about domestic violence and its impact on society. In addition, Life Ok will use Breakthrough?s resources to train people from diverse backgrounds and communities (such as youth from marginalized backgrounds, local leaders and opinion makers, service providers, staff of government agencies, teachers, health workers) to convey knowledge, share ideas and to reshape individuals. The footprint of this initiative is spread across 7 districts in Uttar Pradesh and 5 districts in Delhi and Karnataka.

?Domestic violence is a persisting problem in our society, and it?s only through such powerful initiatives can we try and change this. The tie-up between Life Ok?s Saubhagyvati Bhava and Bell Bajao is symbiotic, and we hope to reach out to our viewers, including men, to help us in bringing about this change in society. Healthy relationships are the key to happiness in life; this is the philosophy of Life OK and its content and we hope to help everyone achieve this happiness,? says Ajit Thakur, general manager, Life OK.

?For us human rights must live in every home so that women enjoy equality and freedom? says Sonali Khan, Vice President Breakthrough India.? Saubhagyavati bahava" is entering people?s homes and raising the issue of domestic violence and is trying to shake people out of their inertia. We believe that this partnership with Life OK will help spread Bell Bajao?s message to a large audience. I am sure that this serial will get people to think and hopefully act to stop violence."