The Hindu : A new drive to save Yamuna

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 29, 2003

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A new drive to save Yamuna

By Sujay Mehdudia

The iron mesh put up recently on the ITO Bridge here over the Yamuna will now carry colourful messages aimed at saving the river from pollution. - Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

NEW DELHI MAY 28. Taking its "Save Yamuna'' campaign a step further, the Delhi Government has decided to put up colourful signboards with messages on all bridges across the river here to discourage people from throwing garbage into this most polluted stretch.

Part of a five-day drive by the State Environment Department which will culminate on World Environment Day, June 5, this event will mark the beginning of a three-day "Yamuna Shramdaan''. It will also see the release of "Greening Delhi Action Plan'' and a status report on "Air Quality in Delhi''.

A massive plantation drive will also be undertaken at seven points along the riverbank. Led by the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, and her Ministers, non-government organisations, residents' welfare associations and school children would throng the riverbanks for the "Yamuna Shramdaan''.

Early on Monday morning, Ms. Dikshit will launch the campaign to install signboards on the ITO, Nizamuddin and ISBT bridges. The colourful signboards in Hindi and English will exhort people to keep the Yamuna clean. Children from Government and public schools will also form an "environment chain'' at ITO.

Ms. Dikshit said her Government's "Green Delhi'' drive had received a big boost as Delhi Development Authority had agreed to hand over 150 acres at Garhi Mandu to the Environment Department for a major plantation programme.

This is in addition to the land being taken up for plantation by the Environment Department, residents' welfare associations and voluntary organisations.

For the first time, a children's exhibition would also be mounted here at India Habitat Centre where letters, posters and paintings by children would be displayed.

"Children have played a very important role in creating public awareness on environmental issues. It is high time we recognised their effort,'' the Chief Minister remarked.

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