CM joins Yamuna cleaning drive, calls for people’s participation
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday joined a large number of young people, volunteers, social organisations and local residents in a shramdaan drive at the Yamuna Ghat in Chilla Village as part of the ‘Clean Delhi with CM’ cleanliness campaign.
By personally participating in the cleaning drive at the ghat, the Chief Minister conveyed the message of public participation in keeping the Yamuna clean.
On the occasion, she said that the Yamuna is not merely a river but Delhi’s memory, culture and lifeline. Keeping it clean, pure and free-flowing is not just the responsibility of the government but the shared responsibility of every citizen. She said that the Yamuna, which has remained a centre of faith for millions of people for centuries, is today facing the challenge of pollution, and restoring it to a clean and pristine state is a shared responsibility of both the Government and society.
The Chief Minister said that the Delhi Government is continuously working towards the scientific, sustainable and comprehensive rejuvenation of the Yamuna and that the clean ghats are a living testament to that commitment. On one hand, the Government is rapidly modernising sewage treatment plants, setting up new decentralised sewage treatment plants, expanding the sewer network, and tapping all drains flowing into the Yamuna in a phased manner as part of a scientific and sustainable solution.
She expressed confidence that, in the future, no untreated drain would flow directly into the Yamuna. At the same time, the government is working to turn public awareness about Yamuna cleanliness into a people’s movement.
Praising the young participants and volunteers, the Chief Minister said that awareness within society has the power to bring about the greatest change. She urged people not to immerse puja materials, plastic, construction debris or any other waste into the Yamuna and to actively contribute towards making cleanliness a people’s movement.
She said the Delhi Government is setting up dedicated collection centres (portacabins) across different parts of the city for the respectful disposal of puja materials and damaged idols. These materials will then undergo scientific and systematic recycling, ensuring both respect for religious sentiments and effective waste management.
The Chief Minister announced that, to strengthen public participation further, the Delhi Government will organise public campaigns every Sunday, including cleanliness drives, Yamuna cleaning campaigns and tree plantation programmes. During the campaign, the chief minister also interacted with volunteers and young environmentalists.
