New Delhi, June 7 (IANS) In a first, the BJP-led Delhi government will celebrate the upcoming International Yoga Day on June 21 at 11 sports complexes, marking an end of a blanket ban on official events on the occasion imposed by the previous AAP government, an official said on Saturday.

Education Minister Ashish Sood said that for the first time the Delhi Government, in collaboration with the Government of India, will officially host International Yoga Day events in the capital.

Sood chaired a review meeting at the Delhi Secretariat to oversee the preparations for the upcoming International Yoga Day and the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0” campaign.

Chief Secretary, Delhi government, Director, Directorate of Education, among other senior officials also attended the meeting, an official said.

The Minister said International Yoga Day celebrations will be held at 11 key locations including Thyagaraj Stadium, East Vinod Nagar Sports Complex, Jhilmil Colony, Bawana, Prahladpur, Bharat Nagar, Yamuna Bank, Najafgarh Stadium, Dwarka Sector-6, Ashok Nagar Hockey Stadium, among others.

Sood emphasised that the primary objective of the initiative is to promote physical and mental wellness while encouraging the practice of yoga among students, teachers, and the community.

Nearly 20,000 participants are expected to join, including students and teachers from Delhi government schools, yoga instructors, NSS/NCC cadets, and civil defence volunteers.

Chhatrasal Stadium has been selected as the main venue, where around 10,000 participants will engage in yoga practice, supported by 5,000 volunteers from the Bharatiya Yog Sansthan. Each of the other 10 venues will host approximately 1,000 participants each.

The Minister also stated that all participants will be provided T-shirts, water, refreshments, and yoga mats.

Each yoga venue will be equipped with medical facilities, ambulances, fire safety arrangements, mobile toilets, sanitation, fogging, electricity, and water supply.

Additionally, Delhi Police will handle security and traffic management. All major venues will feature CCTV surveillance, traffic signages, colour-coded parking passes (Red, Green, Yellow), and special arrangements for emergency services.

He said District Magistrates have been directed to ensure participant transportation, safety, refreshment distribution, and availability of yoga mats and T-shirts in their respective areas.

They have also been instructed to invite schools, colleges, community leaders, yoga instructors, and heads of government offices to participate and promote yoga. The event will be broadcast live on the edudel.nic.in website.

Talking about ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0’, Sood said on June 9 Chief Minister Rekha Gupta will plant a sapling at Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalaya, Shalimar Bagh, to popularise the campaign.

The initiative supports the Government of India’s target of planting 10 crore (100 million) saplings.

He said to complement the Centre’s campaign, the Delhi Government aims to plant 3.7 lakh saplings in 2025-26, including 1 lakh trees, 2 lakh shrubs, and 70,000 bamboo plants in schools, near main roads, and in large parks.

–IANS

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