Commissioner ropes in volunteers to boost cleanliness drive in city

Amritsar, Punjab: With a view to streamline the cleanliness drive around the Golden Temple, the Municipal Corporation Commissioner, Pardeep Sabharwal, today took an initiative to rope in various residents and NGOs, who were concerned about keeping the city clean.

Sabharwal reiterated that all the residents as well as visitors to the holy city should contribute by making civic sense a way of life. “We all have to take the responsibility of keeping the city clean,” he said.

Tarundeep Singh, project administrator, Eco-Amritsar, along with Dr Charanjit Singh, health officer of the MC, and other planning committee members have been working on a plan to start an awareness drive in the area. Eco-Amritsar through its parent organisation has earlier been instrumental in making the city a member of the Green Pilgrimage Network (GPN).

Sabharwal appreciated the efforts being made by the two Kar Sewa Jathas to make the pilgrims aware about cleanliness, which was the foremost agenda of the administration.

Baba Kulwant Singh ji of Kaar Sewa Ajnala, who has been carrying out the night sanitation programme with volunteers hailing from 65 different villages of Ajnala, representatives of Baba Kashmir Singh Ji Bhuriwale Kaar Sewa, who with support from the Sadana family of the USA in the past days, have been overseeing cleanliness of routes and the SGPC’s office bearers also attended the meeting.

The Tourism Department is already will soon hand over equipment and machinery worth Rs 50 Lakh to Baba Kulwant Singh Ajnala.

“With the mechanisation of the service, better execution of the cleanliness drives will be ensured,” said Balraj Singh, divisional tourism officer.

Other office-bearers of the Municipal Corporation pledged all support to help the civic body as well as other stakeholders in making the city visibly clean.

There will be a follow up meeting on decisions taken during this meeting to ensure in tandem working of the Sewak Jathas, which will undertake two Kaar Sewas, in which the MC will also be participating.

Eco-Amritsar is planning an awareness drive in collaboration with the Municipal Corporation and other stakeholders in which residents will be urged to help the administration in its efforts to keep the city clean.

Source: The Tribune