E-Paper
Rigorous efforts needed to improve Kashi’s cleanliness ranking: Minister
Uttar Pradesh's AK Sharma emphasizes public participation to improve Varanasi's cleanliness ranking, directing rigorous waste management efforts and infrastructure upgrades.
Calling for collective responsibility, Uttar Pradesh energy and urban development minister AK Sharma on Sunday said rigorous efforts on the ground are now required for achieving a better ranking for Varanasi, not just paperwork. Kashi’s cleanliness ranking is achievable through active public participation.
While interacting with corporators of Varanasi Nagar Nigam here on Sunday, Sharma said the city’s ranking fell to 17th place last time due to a mere 63 percent score in source segregation of the garbage. The Prime Minister himself is always concerned about cleanliness. From Kashi, the PM gave the message of cleanliness to the entire nation, so Kashi’s cleanliness should be exemplary, he said.
Calling for collective responsibility, Sharma said rigorous efforts on the ground are now required to correct past mistakes.
Public communication and door-to-door waste segregation
For the success of the campaign, the minister directed corporators and officials to meet the residents of their areas daily and encourage them to separate wet and dry waste.
He specifically urged corporators to visit schools and colleges in their wards and interact with principals, teachers, and children so that the new generation becomes part of the campaign. Furthermore, shopkeepers in markets have been asked to ensure the mandatory use of dustbins and to maintain accurate records of sanitation workers’ attendance.
Municipal officials have been directed to conduct on-site physical checks of sanitation workers, not relying solely on digital attendance, and to personally contact them to determine the reasons for absence.
Sharma has taken a firm stance regarding urban infrastructure and beautification. He strictly instructed the municipal commissioner to completely eliminate and beautify all 250 Garbage Vulnerable Points (GVPs) in the city before the monsoon season begins.
He also directed the immediate removal of stone or brick fragments from roads and streets and the installation of interlocking on unpaved tracks to ensure no part of the city appears dusty or unkempt.
Regarding the electricity department, he instructed corporators to immediately report dangerous wires hanging from bamboo poles via WhatsApp.
Corporators raise public concerns
During the dialogue, corporators strongly raised the ground-level issues in their areas. Corporator Ajay Chaudhary called for placing dustbins throughout the city, and corporator Irdesh Kumar called for regular door-to-door garbage collection.
Corporator Abhay Kumar Pandey also informed the minister about the drainage problems faced by the Sarnath area due to its low-lying terrain.
On the other hand, corporators Pushpa Yadav and Shyam Asare Maurya praised the mayor’s working style and stated that current problems are being resolved promptly.
The minister directed action on all these issues by coordinating with the Municipal Corporation administration and corporators.
New action plan for waste management
Municipal commissioner Himanshu presented the city’s progress report through a PPT and stated that 22 large garbage dumps have been removed so far, and the remaining five will be eliminated in the next two to three months.
By Holi, door-to-door garbage collection will also begin smoothly in the 25 newly added wards. Along with improving the condition of the city’s public and community toilets, preparations are now in the final stages to establish an MRF centre for plastic waste disposal and a special plant for biomedical waste in Ramna.
Efforts are being made to establish Kashi as a modern and clean city through innovations such as e-waste management and the ‘Waste to Wonder’ park.
Mayor Ashok Kumar Tiwari, municipal commissioner Himanshu Nagpal along with top officials of Jalkal and Jal Nigam also participated in the meeting and resolved to improve the ranking of the city.
