Is Delhi CM Rekha Gupta Ready to Collaborate with CSR for a Cleaner Yamuna and Healthier Air?

New Delhi, Sep 8 (NationPress) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday indicated her administration's eagerness to forge strong collaborations with the corporate sector and industry to restore the Yamuna River, combat toxic air, and manage the ever-growing waste challenges.

During the event titled “Revival of Yamuna and Delhi – A CSR Dialogue” held at Raj Niwas, she emphasized that her government aims to foster partnerships with businesses to convert the capital into a “Viksit Delhi”.

“This initiative aligns with numerous successful projects spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) framework, advocating for collaboration between government and industry,” she mentioned.

The Chief Minister reiterated her government’s unwavering pledge to ensure the Yamuna River is clean and unpolluted.

Participating in a dialogue led by Lt Governor V.K. Saxena and joined by Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Verma, CM Gupta stated: “With the joint efforts of the public and private sectors, the drive to provide the capital with clean air, a pristine Yamuna, and a waste-free environment will gain renewed vigor and strength.”

She mentioned that the government is investigating tangible solutions like modern technology for sewage treatment, fostering a long-term environmental work culture, and creating CSR corpus funds.

In a post on X, she stated: “The Delhi government is taking aggressive action to address challenges such as Yamuna pollution, heaps of garbage, and air pollution. Recent initiatives like Bansera, Asita, and Vatika along the Yamuna prove that where there’s a will, there’s a way. We are committed to uniting all stakeholders to make Delhi clean, beautiful, and green.”

Alongside senior government officials, representatives from major industry associations, Indian corporations, and public sector leaders also engaged in the discussion.

The Delhi Jal Board highlighted a roadmap for potential partnerships with the industry.

Lt Governor Saxena remarked that the three predominant issues - Yamuna pollution, towering waste piles, and air pollution - are the primary challenges facing Delhi that have tarnished the city’s international reputation.

He acknowledged that the Delhi government has been diligently striving to tackle these issues, with positive outcomes already becoming apparent.

The Lieutenant Governor further stressed that these initiatives will only be successful if all segments of society, especially the corporate sector, engage through CSR.

The Chief Minister also pointed to these three inherited challenges and asserted that the anticipated collaboration from the corporate sector should prioritize technology for sewage treatment and cultivate a work culture that can permanently resolve Yamuna pollution.

CM Gupta recommended that industries create a “corpus fund” under their CSR efforts.

She assured that the Delhi Jal Board would provide a list of projects where industries could directly apply their CSR funds.