Delhi CM performs yoga on riverbank, says govt.'s efforts to clean Yamuna visible
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta performed yoga on the banks of the Yamuna river on Saturday, the annual International Yoga Day, accompanied by Cabinet colleague Kapil Mishra, North East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari, Deputy Speaker Mohan Singh Bisht, Chief Secretary Dharmendra, senior officials, and several schoolchildren.
Speaking to mediapersons after the event in Sonia Vihar, the CM said she had chosen the spot to show the public that the river was cleaner now as her government has been continuously working to make it pollution-free.
'Message for public'
'Decentralising sewage treatment plants (STPs), laying new sewer lines and water pipelines… whatever is needed to clean the river, we are consistently doing it. By performing yoga here, we want to give a message to the people of Delhi that Yamuna is getting cleaner,' she said.
Cleaning the Yamuna was one of the poll promises the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made in the run-up to the Delhi Assembly election.
Ms. Gupta said a total of 303 drainage projects, with an estimated cost of ₹8,000 crore, are under way. 'These include redevelopment of major drains, installation of modern water pumps, desilting drains, expansion of stormwater drainage system and scientific drainage network management,' she said.
Ms. Gupta said that the Yamuna had been Delhi's identity, as the city was established along the banks of the river. 'We are working sincerely to clean the river. This [Sonia Vihar] stretch of the river is clean. We will clean the remaining stretches also,' she said.
She said that thousands of tonnes of water hyacinth had been removed from the river using advanced technology. 'A cruise service is also being planned on Yamuna,' she added.
Hitting out at the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress governments, the CM said, 'Over the years, the city has seen many governments, but they did nothing for Maa Yamuna.'
Ms. Gupta said yoga should not be treated as a one-day event, and people should incorporate it into their daily routine.
She added that it was due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership that yoga today is being celebrated globally. 'Be it the promotion of millet, reducing oil consumption or advocating yoga, PM Modi has consistently encouraged citizens towards a healthy life,' she added.
'Deeply inspiring'
'Witnessing youngsters perform yoga on boats was a deeply inspiring sight,' she said, adding that it was for the first time that such a grand celebration was organised by the Delhi government with more than 20,000 people in attendance across the city, 'creating a new milestone'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
United News of India
30 minutes ago
- United News of India
Lakhs likely to attend BJP's Lord Murugan devotees conference in Madurai tomorrow
Madurai, June 21 (UNI) With the key assembly polls in the Tamil Nadu political horizon, the BJP, which is leading the NDA helmed by the main Opposition AIADMK, will hold a Lord Murugan devotees conference in the temple town of Madurai on Sunday, which has become now become the political hot spot for various political parties The much-anticipated Murugan Devotees' Conference, which faced some hurdles and protests and the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court giving its nod, is all set to take place at Amma Thidal, near Vandiyur Toll Plaza in Madurai, from where several political party leaders have launched their foray, with the ruling DMK recently holding its key General Council meeting after a gap of 48 years. Though Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is scheduled to inaugurate it has cancelled it, it would now be inaugurated by AP Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan. Though the BJP has been maintaining that it was an event to spread the message of Lord Muruga and has installed replica of his six abodes with idols inside--that was visited by thousands of Muruga devotees over the last few days--party sources told UNI tonight that it was purely a devotional gathering and there was no politics in it. The conference will bring the curtains down on the about week long event. TN BJP chief and Legislature Party Leader Nainar Nagendran repeatedly stressed it that it was an occasion to highlight the message of Lord Muruga. The BJP had earlier organised Vel Yatra and also undertook padayatra to six his abodes, especially in the context of therow that emerged over Tiruparankundram hills--one of the abodes--to invoke his blessings, in what was seen as a bid to consolidate the Hindu votes in the state and defeat the ruling DMK. Organized by Hindu Munnani and supported by the BJP Tamil Nadu unit, the conference is expected to draw more than five lakh devotees from across Tamil Nadu, other parts of India, and countries like Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore. Mr Nainar Nagendran, addressing the media ahead of the event, urged devotees from all walks of life and political affiliations to participate. 'Lord Murugan belongs to all. This is not a political event. It is a spiritual conference meant to strengthen our religious and cultural heritage,' he reiterated. He also emphasised that people should not bring political flags or banners, and that the focus will be entirely on faith, devotion, and Tamil culture. The highlight of the event is the devotional exhibits replicating the six Arupadai Veedu temples of Lord Murugan. Inaugurated a week ago, it drew thousands of people to have a darshan of the six avatars of the Lord giving an opportunity to those who could not visit these abodes. Continuous chanting of Kandha Sashti Kavacham (Lord Muruga devotional song) by about five lakh devotees and special poojas are planned on the occasion. Artists and orators from across the state will participate in cultural programs that would reflect the legacy of Murugan worship in Tamil tradition. The police have made elaborate security and announced traffic diversions in Madurai anticipating a huge footfall. According to BJP sources, this conference is part of a larger cultural revival initiative aimed at protecting and promoting Tamil Hindu traditions, especially the widespread devotion to Lord Murugan, who is considered the guardian deity of the Tamil people. The organizers and BJP leaders have also clarified that religious unity and devotion are the central themes of this event, not electoral gains or political narratives. The conference will conclude with a mass prayer for peace, prosperity, and unity across Tamil Nadu and the nation. The BJP said "with divine blessings, a grand Muruga Bhakth Sammelan (conference) will be held on the auspicious day during the sacred Sri Visuvavasu (Tamil calendar) year. "This spiritual gathering will take place in Madurai, the land that has nurtured and celebrated the richness of culture and devotion for centuries", the BJP said. "Let us come together in vast numbers--like waves of a divine ocean--to seek the boundless grace of Lord Muruga and immerse ourselves in devotion", it said. UNI GV 2245
Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
People of Vizag embrace IYD as a household celebration
Visakhapatnam: It is not just people of Visakhapatnam but also those belonging to the neighbouring districts who came together as an extended family to create a record marking the 11th edition of the International Yoga Day (IYD). Even as Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu called out to embrace yoga into one's daily life, people of Visakhapatnam voluntarily stepped forward to make the event a joyous celebration and a household event. Sacrificing sleep and disregarding stress they have gone through, scores of people from Visakhapatnam and neighbouring districts came in droves to participate in the IYD celebration and contribute to its success. What made the event special is the way the participants disregarded soaring temperatures, long waiting hours and looked at the larger picture of the outcome. 'We came from Kakinada and have been at Beach Road since 1:30 am on Saturday. We are quite happy that we could be part of the IYD celebration hosted in Visakhapatnam on such a massive scale,' a group of students from the neighbouring district shared withThe Hans India. Right from 1 am on Saturday, buses from various places started ferrying the yoga practitioners a little close to the venue. Boarding thousands of buses, lakhs of participants reached the compartments arranged for the purpose hours before the IYD celebrations. Despite such a large-scale participation, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu lauded the efforts of the district administration, police, Ministers and public representatives for carrying out intense groundwork to make the event incident-free. Appreciating Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan for their visionary leadership in taking the Yogandhra-2025 way forward in a short span of time, the Prime Minister showered praise on IT and Industries Minister Nara Lokesh for his outstanding dedication to mobilise widespread community engagement, transform yoga into an inclusive social celebration and draw participation from various sections of society.
Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
Op Sindoor proves India safe under Modi, says Majhi
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday said Operation Sindoor has proved that India is safe under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Majhi was addressing a function organised to celebrate the first anniversary of Odisha's maiden BJP government. Showering praises on Modi, who was also present on the dais, Majhi said, 'Earlier, people used to say – 'Modi hai to mumkin hai' (it is possible if Modi is there) but today, the entire country is saying 'Modi hai to desh surakshit hai' (the country is safe when Modi is at the helm).' Majhi said Operation Sindoor is not just an Army operation against terrorists, but a hope for the mothers, sisters and daughters of India. 'With Operation Sindoor, a new India has emerged, which will not bow down under any circumstances. This new India will write its own destiny,' the Chief Minister said. Stating that India is reaching new heights of development under Modi's leadership, Majhi said in the last 11 years, every section of the society has progressed. 'Today, India has become the fourth-largest economy in the world, and is soon going to become $5 trillion economy. Extreme poverty in the country has come down from 27.1 per cent to 5.3 per cent. This proves that under your leadership, the country is changing and is moving forward on the path of development at a rapid pace,' he said. Majhi said Odisha is also making progress and the State's initiatives are modelled keeping in mind the four categories mentioned by Modi – the poor, the farmers, women and youth. Majhi said the Odisha government has secured an investment proposal of Rs 17 lakh crore in just two days after Modi's call to the industries during a conclave held earlier this year. 'This was possible only because of the trust of the industrial world in you (Modi),' Majhi added.
