The Diocese of Delhi and its Bishop have issued a circular asking all priests at churches across the city to support efforts to clean the Yamuna as well as address the issue of mixed solid waste. This comes a day after mosques in the city joined the initiative.
According to a circular, churches across the city have, in their Sunday service, been instructed to ask their parishioners and the people of Delhi per se not to throw and dispose of waste in the Yamuna and to take steps against solid waste — issues taken up by L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena.
An appeal will be made on their behalf to segregate dry and wet waste at homes, recycle and reuse and not to throw waste in open drains and manholes.
Prominent city mosques, on Friday, began a public sensitisation campaign aimed at promoting the cause of a cleaner Yamuna. This came in the wake of a meeting between the Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid, Ahmed Bukhari, and the Lieutenant Governor over the issue earlier this week.
The L-G had also asked city priests to promote the use of eco-friendly materials in religious offerings, discourage the dumping of waste or plastic in the river, and educate people about waste management practices in temples and ashrams located on the banks of the river.
Addressing a training programme for the priests, on April 10, Saxena had asked them to “play the role of educators and change-makers” as custodians and guides of spiritual and cultural practices, asking them to adopt best practices aimed at helping prevent pollution in the river.