New Delhi [India], October 2 (ANI): Thousands of students from 30 Delhi University colleges will come together on October 18 to take a pledge for the cleanliness and conservation of the Yamuna, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced on Thursday.

Gupta made the announcement while launching the 'Main Bhi Yamuna Prahari' app at the Delhi University Sports Complex under the Seva Sankalp Campaign. 

She urged students, teachers and citizens to register on the app and join the campaign.

The Chief Minister said cleaning the Yamuna cannot be the government's responsibility alone and called for greater public participation, particularly from the youth. 

She also urged students to take the message to their families and communities.

Union Minister of State Harsh Malhotra said more than Rs 3,000 crore has been allocated for Yamuna cleaning, while work is underway to prevent sewage from entering the river.

The campaign comes as cleanliness and public participation remain a key focus around Gandhi Jayanti.

Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy called for a nationwide 30-day cleanliness drive from Gandhi Jayanti on October 2 to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birth anniversary on October 31.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, Reddy urged citizens, government and private institutions, educational establishments, NGOs and other organisations to participate in the cleanliness campaign.

'From Gandhi Jayanti to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birth anniversary, which is coming up on October 31st, for almost 30 days, everyone should take up this Swachh Bharat campaign program across the country, and an appeal has been made for everyone in the country to become participants,' Reddy said.

In Gurugram, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini participated in the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and appealed to people to keep the city clean on Friday.

In Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, a Swachhathon 2026 event was organised on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti as part of the Swachhata Hi Seva programme.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat on his 157th birth anniversary and attended the Sarva-Dharma Prarthana at Gandhi's samadhi.

PM Modi also paid tribute to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri at Vijay Ghat on his birth anniversary.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta attended the Sarva-Dharma Prarthana at Rajghat and also paid tribute to Shastri at Vijay Ghat.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Vice President CP Radhakrishnan also paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.

Mahatma Gandhi, also known as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat. Gandhi Jayanti is observed annually on his birth anniversary.

October 2 is also observed as the International Day of Non-Violence after the United Nations designated the day to spread the message of non-violence associated with Gandhi's philosophy. (ANI)