“Maintaining the cleanliness of the Yamuna is not solely the responsibility of the government but the duty of every citizen,” Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Sunday as she joined a mega cleanliness drive along the riverbank, with thousands of volunteers participating across 28 locations in Delhi.

The Delhi government organised a simultaneous clean-up campaign at 28 ghats and riverfront sites as part of the Yamuna Riverbank Cleanliness Campaign 2026. Gupta participated in the drive at Geeta Colony Ghat, where she joined volunteers and residents in removing waste from the riverbank.

Describing the Yamuna as a source of faith, culture and life for crores of people, Gupta appealed to residents not to throw plastic waste, religious offerings, flowers, garlands, idols or other materials into the river. She added that a significant quantity of broken idols, garments used for deities and worship material wrapped in plastic were removed during the drive, highlighting the need for behavioural change among citizens.

According to the government, thousands of volunteers from more than 500 social, religious and community organisations participated in the campaign across nearly 22 kilometres of the riverfront. The drive, which began at 6 am, went on for four hours.

Delhi ministers Parvesh Sahib Singh, Pankaj Singh, Ravinder Indraj, and Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta also participated in the campaign at different ghats. BJP MPs Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Manoj Tiwari and Swati Maliwal, and Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra also took part, along with other party leaders and workers.