Responding to a call by the Union Jal Shakti Ministry, the Kalaburagi Zilla Panchayat is gearing up to launch a 15-day cleaning drive at the gram panchayat level on Friday so as it will culminate on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on October 2, which will be celebrated this year as Swachh Bharat Day.
In a media note, Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Panchayat Bhanwar Singh Meena said on Thursday that the special drive will be taken up with a tagline, Cleanliness is Divinity, and the central theme for this year’s special cleanliness drive will be Garbage-free India.
“The ambitious campaign aims at creating cleaner and hygienic neighbourhood in rural India. I appeal to the people to voluntarily join hands with the authorities in cleaning the premises of public spaces, especially those which are always crowded, such as bus stands, railway stations, community halls, historical monuments, roads and drains,” Mr. Meena said.
He has also directed the authorities concerned to hold as many awareness programmes as possible to sensitise the people to the importance of cleanliness and hygiene. He asked them to rope in public and popular figures such as people’s representatives and civil society groups for the purpose.
“Public places in rural areas should be cleaned. The walls of public structures can be painted highlighting the Swachh Bharat Mission objectives. We can also hold activities such as drawing competitions, speech competitions, quiz competitions, plantation drives and sports to involve schoolchildren in the drive. We must also give adequate importance to convince people to avoid single-use plastic bags and encourage them to segregate solid waste at source so that such waste can be made a resource,” he said.
