Clean Delhi right of every citizen, says CM

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta participated in the mega cleanliness drive, ‘shramdan’, at the Hanuman Mandir Complex on Baba Kharak Singh Marg here on Tuesday.

She was joined by New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) chairperson Keshav Chandra and vice-chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal.

Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister emphasised that a clean Delhi is the right of every citizen. The ongoing campaign involves employees and officers from the NDMC, MCD and PWD, who will engage in daily cleanliness activities.

“I joined today’s symbolic ‘shramdan’ to inspire public to contribute towards keeping their surroundings clean,” said Gupta.

The drive is dedicated to the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which the Chief Minister credited with turning cleanliness into a mass movement across the country. She appealed to residents, RWAs, market associations and social organisations to actively participate in the initiative.

“Whenever any social, religious or cultural programmes are held – whether it’s a bhandara, procession, or jagran – it is the responsibility of the organisers to ensure no garbage is left behind. Cleanliness must be a shared commitment,” Gupta said.

Commending NDMC’s efforts, the Chief Minister noted that the area was already well maintained due to the consistent efforts by civic workers, necessitating only symbolic cleaning on Tuesday.

NDMC vice-chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal highlighted that over 10,000 NDMC employees, including officers and heads of departments, are participating in the shramdan drive daily for one hour before starting their regular duties.

The campaign covers all 14 sanitation circles under the NDMC and includes participation from departments like horticulture, fire service and engineering, as well as institutions such as schools, hospitals and dispensaries.

Chahal underscored the importance of community involvement to realise the vision of a developed India under the Swachh Bharat Mission. “Without public participation, this drive cannot succeed. Every citizen must take ownership of cleanliness to build a healthy and beautiful Delhi,” he said.