Leela Foundation Initiates Yamuna Cleaning Drive on March 21st, 2010
With the cooperation of over 200 volunteers, the NGO has also taken up the responsibility to educate slum inhabitants on "how important it is to keep the river clean and tidy".

Key highlights of the event:

The event will be held in the presence of Girish Chaudhry, CEO & Country Head, and Gaurav Khurana, President, Leela Foundation.

Over 200 volunteers will join hands to make the Yamuna bank clean and tidy.

The volunteers will educate slum inhabitants on "how important it is to keep the river clean and tidy".

The Alice Ferguson Foundation, Lion's International and Rivers of the World Foundation (ROW) are supporting our cause.

New Delhi: Leela Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization focused on activities concerning holistic good governance in India, with cooperation of over 200 volunteers, including local residents, college students, senior citizens and others is holding a Yamuna cleaning drive on the banks of the river Yamuna near Mayur Vihar Phase I on March 21, 2010.

The organization has been commemorating this day for the past 5 years by cleaning trash from Yamuna.

Mr. Girish Chaudhry, CEO of Leela Foundation, said, "We hope to raise 1000 volunteers in the next 3 years, who would be called 'Yamuna soldiers'. These volunteers would take up the mass contact program to sensitize people to keep the river clean, a paradigm shift from government's responsibility to citizen's responsibility." Mr. Chaudhry has been actively campaigning for this movement by organizing national & international seminars and conferences at different places in the northern region, the one being in the recent past titled "Clean up Options & strategies."

According to the National River Conservation Directorate (NRCD; New Delhi), the federal agency responsible for cleanup efforts in India, the stretch between two barrages in Delhi is only 2% of its catchment area, but it contributes about 80% of the river's total pollution load. More than 57 million people depend on the Yamuna River for drinking water, but at least 720 mld (190 mgd) of waste water entering the river is untreated. About 2000 million litres of sewage is pumped into the river from Delhi every day, and its water is now unfit to support any life.

"Delhi is our city and the state of river Yamuna that flows through it is deteriorating. Acting as concerned and well educated citizens, people of Delhi, especially the youth who are the future, should awaken to this grim reality and take the onus of improving its condition in their hands," said Gaurav Khurana, President, Leela Foundation.

About Yamuna Manthan
Yamuna Manthan, an initiative of the Leela Foundation aspires to stir up youth energy for a cause worthy of all attention - a cleaner Yamuna. This Yamuna cleaning drive, being carried out a day prior to World Water Day, is Leela Foundation's contribution to ensure a cleaner environment and to spread awareness about our duties towards our water bodies.
On the day, the volunteers will assemble at Mayur Vihar Phase I Metro Station at 10 am. After half an hour, they will march towards the actual destination and clean the trash in and around the river for about 3 hours.

They have also taken up the responsibility of spreading awareness among slum inhabitants and educate them on "how important it is to keep the river clean and tidy."
While the volunteers will be cleaning the garbage, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will be disposing the garbage off. Special arrangements, including rescue guards, first aid, special gloves and masks have already been made to ensure the safety of all volunteers.
At the end of event, the volunteers will be awarded with the Certificates of Participation. The event will conclude at 3 pm.

About Leela Foundation
Leela Foundation is a citizen's movement that was initiated almost a year ago by few young professionals who decided to come together to act and make India a well governed nation. It has a vision of making its agenda as 'people led'. It intends to create a chain of citizens who have always wanted to contribute towards nation building and good governance but never found the right medium to give vent to their noble thoughts.

Its mission is to undertake causes to bring in the necessary change in the democratic process and governance of this country. 'DecideIndia' is a precious gift in the form of a slogan that has been presented to the citizens of our country by Leela Foundation. Empowering every individual to contribute effectively will be the cornerstone in this endeavor.

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