On Earth Day, Hema Malini urges people to take pledge to keep Yamuna clean

Mathura (UP): On the occasion of Earth Day on Tuesday, Mathura MP Hema Malini urged people to take a pledge to keep the Yamuna River clean.

The actor-politician also highlighted the 'PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana' (PMSGMBY), saying, "This scheme not only gives people an opportunity to save money but also reduces the pressure on our natural resources to meet the rising electricity demand."

PMSGMBY, the world's largest domestic rooftop solar initiative, achieved a milestone with 10 lakh solar-powered homes as of March 10, 2025, she said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the scheme on February 13, 2024.

Meanwhile, Mathura district magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh said a scheme mandating people seeking arms licence renewal or issuance of a fresh licence to plant 10 saplings is progressing well, with more than 850 saplings planted to date.

"The idea behind the initiative was to encourage people to actively participate in saving our planet. The more we care for our planet, the more it will care for us," Singh said while reviewing the progress of the scheme on Earth Day.

The social forestry division in Mathura organised debates in two schools on the theme of Earth Day on Tuesday.

"It is very important to sensitise children from an early stage, as they are our future and their role is very important," divisional forest officer Rajni Kant Mittal said.