New Delhi [India], October 18 (ANI): Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma on Sunday participated in the Yamuna cleanliness drive at Haathi Ghat near ITO, as the government appealed to residents to join efforts to clean the river and highlighted ongoing measures to address pollution.
Speaking during the drive, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said thousands of youths, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and social organisations had come forward to participate in the cleanliness campaign across Delhi.
"This is a moment of joy for all of us. When a call was made under the Yamuna Cleanliness Campaign, thousands of youths from Delhi, along with numerous Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and various social organizations, stepped forward to participate," CM Gupta said.
She said residents were actively participating in the cleanliness drive along the Yamuna's stretch in Delhi and emphasised the need to make cleanliness a part of everyday life.
"Today, across the entire stretch of the Yamuna in Delhi, residents are actively engaged in the cleaning drive. I believe that cleanliness is a way of life, a practice we must all incorporate into our daily lives. While cleaning the Yamuna today, I encountered items such as garments belonging to deities, broken idols, and various materials used in religious rituals," Gupta added.
Highlighting the impact of waste on the river, Gupta said, “People often leave tons of such items and remnants in the river, leading to the contamination of the Yamuna. While there are several other reasons for the pollution of the Yamuna, the government is actively addressing them, and we have also reached out to various organizations for their support. We are dealing with these issues with great strictness. In the past year alone, lakhs of tonnes of silt have been removed from the drains. Gradually, the Yamuna will begin to appear cleaner, provided that all of us, as residents of this city, come together to answer the call to clean the river."
Meanwhile, Delhi Minister Parvesh Verma said the government had appealed to residents to come forward and clean the ghats, adding that people were increasingly recognising the importance of the Yamuna.
Speaking to ANI, Verma said, " We appealed to all Delhi residents to come forward and clean our ghats. The Yamuna is a lifeline for every Delhi resident, and people are realising it. Cleaning the sludge and drains flowing into the Yamuna is the government’s responsibility. With the support of the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, and the support of the Chief Minister, sewage treatment plants are being developed, sewer connections are being installed, and work is underway." (ANI)
Delhi CM Gupta, Min Verma participate in Yamuna cleanliness drive
