Civic sense drives for Delhiites before CWG-2010

Ahead of next year's Commonwealth Games, municipal agencies in Delhi are contemplating civic sense awareness drives and harsher anti-littering measures so that citizens play their part in presenting a "clean" front to visitors during the mega event.

Ahead of next year's Commonwealth Games, municipal agencies in Delhi are contemplating civic sense awareness drives and harsher anti-littering measures so that citizens play their part in presenting a "clean" front to visitors during the mega event.

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Before the Beijing Olympics in 2008, neighbouring China had taken up an extensive campaign to sensitise people and a similar drive here against spitting and littering can pay dividends, officials feel.

"Other than the municipalities, the citizens too have a key role to play in keeping the city spic-and-span. We are planning a civic sense awareness drive so that we can involve the people in our efforts for a clean Delhi," a senior official of New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) said.

The NDMC plans to distribute pamphlets and leaflets to make the people aware of their duties as citizens and will also make public announcements in this regard, he said.

It has already displayed advertisements in some areas under its jurisdiction asking people to cooperate with the NDMC in keeping the city clean and refrain from littering.

The official said that NDMC undertakes anti-littering drives and fines civic offenders. "We have inspectors and municipal magistrates for this."

But he admitted that the penal provisions are not enough to deter littering and spitting. "The Rs 50 fine is too less. We need stricter measures," he said.