Environment activist Swami G D Aggarwal on Friday called off his fast-unto-death after the Government assured him of extending all possible help in his Save Ganga Campaign. Coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal and Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office V Narayanaswamy met him at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, AIIMS, in New Delhi and requested him to end his fast.

Addressing a news conference after meeting Swami, Mr Jaiswal said that a consensus has been evolved between the Government and Swami on four main points. He said a meeting of the National Ganga River Basin Authority, NGRBA, will be held on the 17th of next month. A seven member delegation of Ganga Seva Abhiyanam, GSA, led by Swami Agarwal, has been extended special invitation to the meeting. Mr Jaiswal said the agenda proposed by the GSA will be the agenda of the NGRBA and will be placed for acceptance on priority.

AIR correspondent reports that the 80-year-old activist was on a fast-unto-death since January 15th and was hospitalized in Delhi on Monday. He has been campaigning for years for the cleaning of the Ganga. He is also opposed to the construction of dams and barrages on the river saying they will destroy the natural flow and quality of the river water.