NEW DELHI: With a target to clean the stretch of Yamuna River under its jurisdiction in three weeks, the South East Delhi district administration on Thursday launched a campaign with participation of over 700 volunteers, according to an official statement.
The campaign was flagged off by chief guest Rajendra Singh, better known as 'Jal Purush' of the country, and over 1,000 volunteers participated in it picking up trash from the water of Yamuna and its banks, said Vishwendra, District Magistrate of South East Delhi district.
"Any effort of conservation starts with cleaning the water body," Singh said and gave a slogan "Yamuna Nadi Ki Jung Mein Hum Sab Sang Mein". He also asked the district administration and civil society to clean and rejuvenate the river and volunteered his presence and participation in any such endeavour.
The district, under "Clean India Programme", an initiative of Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs in association with Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, has scheduled 'Clean Yamuna Campaign' of cleaning the river till October 27, through mass public participation. "The event aims to clean the stretch of Yamuna falling in the territorial jurisdiction of district South-East Delhi in coming 21 days," the statement said.
Sanjeev Khirwar, divisional commissioner, appealed to all concerned to participate in the effort of the district administration to improve the aquatic health of the river. Around 1,000 volunteers from Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), SDMC, Civil Defence along with NGOs, resident welfare and market associations and other stake holders participated in the drive at Yamuna Bank near Samshan Ghat, Sarai Kale Khan.