The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on Sunday said that around 300,000 people have joined its Yamuna outreach and awareness programme, named the Yamuna Jan-Jagran Abhiyan. The water utility, under the Yamuna Action Plan-3, is undertaking a series of activities to increase awareness about the river and its pollution in Delhi. “DJB, in collaboration with partner NGOs under the Yamuna Action Plan, is running two crucial public awareness programmes.
These initiatives are focused on the cleaning, conservation, and rejuvenation of the Yamuna River in Delhi, relying heavily on active public participation. Yamuna Jan-Jagran Abhiyan is a public awareness campaign targeting diverse demographics across the city. DJB has engaged 294,982 participants under this program which aims to educate the public about the importance of the Yamuna River and encourage collective efforts to restore its health and beauty,” a DJB statement said.
Yamuna enters Delhi near Palla and transverses about 48 km through the national capital. The 22 km stretch from Wazirabad-Signature bridge to Okhla is the most polluted stretch of the river, with just 2% of its length accounting for more than 70% of the river’s pollution. A DJB official said the awareness programmes aim to heighten awareness among Delhi’s citizens and students regarding the cleanliness and conservation of the Yamuna.
“Various activities are conducted across the city under this outreach including art and performances, street plays, poetry recitations, and songs. Cleanliness drives and community meetings are organised on floodplains to motivate residents to clean the Yamuna banks and maintain cleanliness in their surroundings,” the official said. The official added that a parallel door-to-door awareness campaign is being carried out to educate people about the causes of Yamuna pollution and preventive measures.
“Painting and essay competitions in schools promote creative expression and motivate students to take part in cleaning the Yamuna,” the official added..
