Yamuna Cleanup: Public participation crucial, says Task Force official

Yamuna Task Force's Subedar Ratan Singh called for public participation to clean the river, saying it's a collective duty. Delhi BJP leaders, including Harsh Malhotra, joined the cleanliness drive, with Malhotra criticising the previous AAP government.

Yamuna Task Force Subedar Ratan Singh (Photo/ANI)

Call for Public Participation in Yamuna Cleanup

Subedar Ratan Singh of the Yamuna Task Force on Sunday emphasised the need for public participation in efforts to clean the Yamuna, stating that the responsibility of keeping the river clean cannot be fulfilled by any single organisation or force alone. Speaking to ANI about the ongoing cleanliness initiatives, Singh said the task force works daily with various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) across Delhi to carry out cleanup operations and raise public awareness. "We work here daily, in collaboration with various NGOs from across Delhi, to carry out cleanup operations. We are conducting public awareness campaigns everywhere in neighbourhoods, marketplaces, schools, and colleges. We need to ask ourselves: what kind of Yamuna do we want to leave for future generations, a polluted, filthy river, or one that flows clean and clear?" he said.

Comparing the need to protect the river with maintaining cleanliness at home, Singh said people must extend the same reverence to the Yamuna as they do to their own surroundings. "Just as we strive to keep our own homes and surroundings clean, we must extend that same reverence to Mother Yamuna. This cannot be achieved by any single NGO or force alone; it requires the active participation of everyone. All of Delhi must come together to ensure that the Yamuna, which flows alongside our capital, remains clean," he added.

BJP Leaders Join Drive, Criticise Previous Government

Meanwhile, Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Harsh Malhotra participated in the Yamuna cleanliness drive at Gandhi Nagar Pushta in Yamuna Khadar. Speaking to ANI, Malhotra said, "Since the BJP came to power in Delhi, Chief Minister Rekha ji and her entire team devised a comprehensive plan to clean the Yamuna River, which is now being implemented.” He criticised the previous Arvind Kejriwal-led government and said, “In contrast, the previous Kejriwal-led government merely engaged in politics over the Yamuna. They spread falsehoods and eventually had to apologise for failing to clean the river. This is despite the fact that the Modi-led central government had provided approximately ₹2,900 crore to the Kejriwal administration specifically for the cleaning of the Yamuna, funds that were used solely for political posturing."

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma also participated in the Yamuna cleanliness drive at Haathi Ghat near ITO on Sunday. Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa also participated in the Yamuna Safai Cleanliness Drive at the Old Railway Bridge, while BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj took part in the drive at Ram Ghat.

The cleanliness initiatives aim to encourage public participation in keeping the river clean, alongside measures being undertaken by the government to address Yamuna pollution.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)