Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
Punjab Local Government Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Tuesday announced the extension of the state-wide Cleanliness Campaign 2.0 till September 12, following a surge in citizen participation and complaints received through the M-Seva app.
The special cleanliness campaign, launched on August 29, covers all 166 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the state, including 14 Municipal Corporations and 152 Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats.
Addressing a press conference at MC Bhawan, Bains said citizens had submitted 6,459 complaints through the M-Seva app, of which 5,407, or more than 83 per cent, had been resolved on the ground.
He said the Bhagwant Mann-led government decided to extend the campaign after witnessing a significant increase in public participation and a large number of complaints received on the final day of the campaign.
Bains also announced four mega cleanliness drives to be held over the next four Saturdays, beginning September 12. The drives will be organised in collaboration with NGOs, market associations, youth clubs, religious organisations and Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs).
The Minister appealed to citizens to spare two to three hours on Saturday mornings and participate in cleaning parks, markets and neighbourhoods.
Bains said the Local Government Department had also rolled out a comprehensive door-to-door garbage collection system across all cities to prevent the recurrence of Garbage Vulnerable Points (GVPs). He urged residents to keep their waste at home until the collection vehicle arrives.
He warned that after the awareness phase, strict fines would be imposed for littering in public places.
“I have personally visited towns like Kurali, Kharar and Nangal over the last 10 days and have seen how tirelessly our Safai Sewaks are working,” Bains said, adding that government efforts could not succeed without active cooperation from citizens.
He stressed the need to develop greater civic sense to achieve cleaner urban areas, saying that cities could not become as clean as those in Japan without responsible public participation.
Bains thanked MLAs, Deputy Commissioners, Municipal Commissioners, councillors and sanitation workers for their efforts during the campaign.
He said the government would present a detailed data analysis and photographic evidence of permanently eradicated Garbage Vulnerable Points after the campaign concludes.
“This is just the beginning. With the blessings of our elders and the energy of our youth, Punjab will set a new benchmark in urban sanitation,” Bains said.
