Connaught Place’s each block gets officer for cleanliness

The officers’ responsibility will include flagging any damaged or dead plants and trees, and suggesting areas where more greenery can be added.

In a bid to make the Connaught Place market litter-free, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has designated officers for each block to supervise its cleanliness, officials said on Sunday.

Officials said they are planning to impose fines on littering. (File photo)

The officers’ responsibility will also include flagging any damaged or dead plants and trees, and suggesting areas where more greenery can be added.

According to NDMC officials, the move came following a look at the high amount of daily footfall the central Delhi’s Connaught Place market witnesses.

“Earlier this year in May, we had made blocks B and C litter-free, and planned to progress on the same, block by block. As this was not possible due to the amount of footfall the market gets, we have designated one officer to each block to increase the monitoring,” said an official.

While stating that cleaning in the market takes place throughout the day, in three shifts; morning, evening and night, the official said that while sanitary inspectors were earlier only present in the morning shift, they will now be present in each shift.

“As littering is mostly done by customers, we plan to start imposing fines for the same. Currently, we are spreading awareness about the same, and our sanitary workers and inspectors, along with the officials, will be informing people who they see littering about the fines. Our workers are also making rounds throughout the market announcing the same through a megaphone,” said the official.

NDMC officers have been designated to the market’s blocks on the basis of their size, with some blocks getting two officers, most getting one, and blocks C and D both being designated to one officer.

As the NDMC aims to maintain and increase the greenery in the market as well, the horticulture department will be working alongside the civil and public health departments. The officers’ responsibility will also include flagging any damaged or dead plants and trees, and suggesting areas where more greenery can be added.