Unique awareness campaign for a clear Yamuna launched

New Delhi, Oct 21 (UNI) A unique campaign to restrain people from throwing flowers and other waste into the river Yamuna during the ongoing festive season was launched by an NGO here today.

'Serve People Society', today launched a three-day campaign to educate people about the ill effects of throwing flowers, godly waste and other garbage into the river.

''Come festivals such as Navratri, Dussehera, Durga puja, Dipawali, Holi and people throw tonnes of puja refuse, idols, polythene bags in the water. Every day tonnes of flowers, godly waste and other garbage are dumped in polythene bags into the river,'' Organising Secretary of Serve People Society Sahil Sinha.

To prevent the people from polluting the river, the government has erected iron railings on the several bridges across the river.

But did it make any impact on the people? Was it the solution to prevent the river from getting further polluted?'' Sinha asked.

He said people have made gaps in the iron grills and throw the waste into the water. Even some children have made a livelihood out of throwing the waste for the people for a little payment.

He said the campaign, which began at 1000 hours today at the Nizamuddin bridge, was being organised at all important bridges like the ITO and Wazirabad bridges and three idol immersion sites.

Banners would be placed on the bridges and immersion sites urging people not to throw the refuse into the water. Pamphlets would be distributed among the people urging them to keep the river Yamuna clean.

Volunteers of the NGO would be deployed at the entry points of the bridges to collect the refuse from the people.

Also, baskets would be kept at the entry points of the bridges for the collection of garbage.

The flowers and other godly refuse would be disposed of later with all religious rites by the volunteers of the NGO.

UNI