Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta led a large-scale cleanliness drive along the Yamuna River to remove waste and mobilize city volunteers.
The effort is part of the Yamuna Swachhta Abhiyan 2026, an initiative aimed at restoring the health of the waterway and preventing further pollution. The river remains a critical environmental challenge for the capital, where waste accumulation threatens local ecosystems.
Gupta coordinated the effort across 28 ghats [1], including the Dashmesh Ghat in Geeta Colony. The operation involved a coalition of citizens, BJP workers, and volunteers who worked to clear debris from the riverbanks. According to reports, the drive resulted in the removal of hundreds of tons of waste [2].
During the event, Gupta emphasized the necessity of strict waste management to protect the river's future. "No waste should enter Yamuna," Gupta said [3].
The initiative focused on high-traffic areas where waste typically accumulates, utilizing both manual labor and coordinated volunteer teams to ensure the ghats were cleared. The drive is intended to serve as a catalyst for long-term sustainability efforts along the river's edge, shifting from sporadic cleaning to a systemic approach to pollution prevention.
Officials said that the mobilization of party workers and citizens was designed to increase public awareness about the fragility of the Yamuna. By targeting 28 specific locations [1], the administration sought to create a visible impact on the river's current state of degradation.
“No waste should enter Yamuna.”
The Yamuna Swachhta Abhiyan 2026 represents a high-visibility effort by the Delhi government to address chronic pollution. While the removal of hundreds of tons of waste provides immediate relief to the riverbanks, the long-term success of the initiative depends on whether the administration can implement permanent infrastructure to stop waste from entering the river at the source.
