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Ahead of festive season, U.P. launches ‘Clean Festival, Healthy Festival’ campaign
AK Sharma underscored the need to place dustbins strategically around places of worship while also ensuring that the public is educated about their proper use.
LUCKNOW In preparation for the upcoming festive season, the Uttar Pradesh government has initiated a special cleanliness campaign named ‘Swachch Tyohar, Swasth Tyohar’ (Clean Festival, Healthy Festival), with a primary focus on maintaining cleanliness in and around temples and surrounding areas.
The state’s urban development and energy minister, AK Sharma, has emphasised the significance of celebrating Navratri, Dussehra, and Diwali as ‘Swachch Tyohar, Swasth Tyohar,’ reinforcing the age-old adage, ‘Cleanliness is next to Godliness.’
Minister Sharma has issued directives to all municipal officials and employees, urging them to ensure the enhanced cleanliness of roads, streets, and areas surrounding religious sites, monasteries, temples, and Durga Puja pandals.
He also underscored the need to place dustbins strategically around places of worship while also ensuring that the public is educated about their proper use. During a recent virtual meeting with municipal officials, Sharma instructed them to expedite streetlight repairs to ensure a smooth commuting experience for devotees during the festivities.
Furthermore, Sharma directed officials to guarantee the supply of clean drinking water during the festive season and to ensure the proper disposal of offerings and waste generated by devotees. Emphasis was placed on creating awareness among the public about celebrating clean and healthy festivals. He encouraged the avoidance of plastic use and called for efforts to impose a complete ban on its usage.
Sharma stressed the importance of providing a clean urban environment where devotees could worship without encountering filth and dirt. He announced the extensive operation of the toll-free number 1533 and informed officials that the ‘Swachh Mandate Survey’ is currently underway. In light of this, he urged officials to seek the cooperation of ward corporators in maintaining cleanliness in their respective municipal body areas.
He further asked officials to ensure that cleanliness is upheld around the Durga Puja pandals in urban areas. Given that devotees visit temples from morning till late at night during festivals, special attention should be given to regular morning cleaning routines. It is crucial that waste is not scattered about, and designated bins should be provided for its proper disposal. To safeguard the public from communicable diseases and mosquito-borne illnesses, the distribution of medicines for disease control was also recommended.
