Over 1,000 clean Yamuna in Delhi

Over 1,000 volunteers, including college students, Sunday took part in a campaign to clean river Yamuna and highlight the role of volunteers in cleaning the polluted lifeline of the national capital.

According to various surveys, Yamuna is one of the most polluted rivers in India.

The campaign kicked off at 7 a.m. with 500 cyclists taking part in a 18-km cycle rally that ended at Kudsia Ghat near Kashmere Gate in North Delhi.

After they reached there, they were joined by others in demonstrating the power of volunteering and together they cleaned the river bank.

The initiative was organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and various civil societies.

"India has the largest youth population in the world and it is heartening to see the youth turning out in such large numbers to clean the Yamuna and promote Swachh Bharat. The prime minister's call for Swachh Bharat has given rise to this mobilisation," said Rajeev Gupta, secretary in the Department of Youth Affairs, said on the occasion.

The volunteers included artists, working professionals, entrepreneurs, policy makers and retired people.

"The feeling is simply amazing. This was for the first time that I took part in the Yamuna cleaning activity and it was so fresh and motivating that I now feel like coming here every Sunday to do my part for society," said Dipanshu Roy, a volunteer who took part in the campaign.

Lise Grande, United Nations resident coordinator and UNDP resident representative, said: "The Clean India Campaign is a great initiative. Volunteers can contribute personally and directly to helping meet the objectives of the prime minister's campaign."