VARANASI, March 19 -- Boatmen in Varanasi have started urging tourists not to throw any waste into the Ganga after an incident in which food was allegedly dumped into the river triggered outrage. The controversy surfaced after a video went viral showing a group of youths eating chicken biryani during an Iftar gathering on a boat and purportedly throwing leftovers into the water. Police later arrested 14 persons in connection with the incident on charges of defiling a place of worship and hurting religious sentiments. Boatman Rahul Nishad, who operates from Assi Ghat, said, "As soon as passengers board the boat, I request them not to throw plastic, flowers or any other waste in the Ganga. We request them and keep a vigil. If any passenger insists on immersing old clothes or any other such thing in Ganga, he is requested not to do so." Boatman Ajay Nishad said: "As far as we can forbid people from dumping waste, we do. Rest people should understand that keeping Ganga clean is everyone's responsibility." Around 1,200 boats ply the river Ganga daily in Varanasi, with thousands of passengers taking boat rides. Vikas Malviya, director Alaknanda Cruiselines Ltd, said, "Tea and biscuits are served to the passengers on the four cruises. In Gangotri cruise, pure veg food is served to tourists. Waste generated on the cruise is disposed away from the river Ganga. When cruises are anchored at the ghat, the waste box is taken off and vacated in another box, which is taken to a waste disposal plant." The company operates four vessels, Alaknanda, Vivekanand, Maneckshaw and Bhagirathi, that sail from Sant Ravidas Ghat to Rajghat daily morning and evening, serving only vegetarian food items including tea and biscuits. The Gangotri cruise serves pure vegetarian meals. A senior officer of UP Pollution Control Board, Varanasi, stated, "There is a ban on dumping all materials, including organic matters, any sort of leftover materials, polythene in the river Ganga since these pollute water. People must not throw any such thing in the river."...