5,400+ complaints resolved in days: What Punjab’s new cleanliness push means for you

Punjab will hold four mega cleanliness drives across its 166 urban local bodies from September 12. Door-to-door garbage collection has also been introduced to prevent the return of garbage vulnerable points.

Chandigarh: The Punjab government has extended its state-wide cleanliness campaign by four days after thousands of residents reported civic problems through the M-Seva app. More than 5,400 complaints have so far been resolved on the ground.

Local Government Minister Harjot Singh Bains announced on Tuesday (September 8) that the ‘Cleanliness Campaign 2.0’, which began on August 29, will now continue until September 12. The government has also planned four mega cleanliness drives over the next four Saturdays to keep residents involved in sanitation work across the state.

The campaign covers all 166 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), including 14 municipal corporations and 152 municipal councils and nagar panchayats.

Speaking at a press conference at MC Bhawan in Chandigarh, Bains said residents had submitted 6,459 complaints through the M-Seva app since the campaign began. Of these, 5,407, or more than 83 per cent, has been resolved.

“Following a massive surge in citizen participation and an influx of complaints through the M-Seva app on the last day, the Bhagwant Mann government decided to extend the campaign till September 12,” he said.

Four Saturday drives across Punjab

The government plans to turn the campaign into a regular public participation programme. Four mega cleanliness drives will be held over the next four Saturdays, beginning September 12.

The drives will involve NGOs, market associations, youth clubs, religious organisations and Resident Welfare Associations. The minister appealed to residents to set aside two to three hours on Saturday mornings to take part in cleaning parks, markets and neighbourhoods.

“Punjab is the sacred land of gurus, saints and martyrs, and keeping it clean is our collective duty. This campaign has proven that without active public participation, sustainable cleanliness is impossible. We are not merely disposing of garbage, we are building a cleaner future for urban Punjab,” he said.

The campaign is now moving towards a model in which residents, local groups and civic bodies work together beyond the special drive.

Door-to-door garbage collection across cities

The Local Government Department has also rolled out door-to-door garbage collection across all cities with an aim to prevent the return of Garbage Vulnerable Points (GVPs).

Bains urged residents to keep their waste at home until the collection vehicle arrives. He also warned that people who litter public spaces would face strict fines after the awareness phase ends.

The minister said he has visited Kurali, Kharar and Nangal during the previous 10 days and spent two to three hours each day on the ground.

“I have personally visited towns like Kurali, Kharar and Nangal over the last 10 days, spending two to three hours daily on the ground, and have seen how tirelessly our safai sewaks (cleaning staff) are working. But even the best efforts will fail without citizen cooperation. We must understand that we cannot build cities as clean as those in Japan without civic sense,” he said.

Data on cleaned-up garbage points to follow

Bains thanked MLAs, deputy commissioners, municipal commissioners, councillors and sanitation workers involved in the campaign.

The Local Government Department will carry out a detailed analysis of the campaign after it ends. The government also plans to present photographic evidence showing Garbage Vulnerable Points that have been permanently removed.

“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,” the minister said.

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