Haryana govt to introduce cleanliness ranking system for civic bodies

Chandigarh, Sep 25 (PTI) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday said that a cleanliness ranking system will be introduced to foster a spirit of healthy competition among municipal bodies.

The top-performing bodies will be encouraged, and "Swachhta Mitras" contributing to the campaign will also be honoured, he said addressing a gathering in Panchkula as part of the special "Shramdan Abhiyan- Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath" initiative.

Saini urged all social organisations, youth, women, and citizens to actively support the cleanliness drive.

He said that a one-hour "Shramdan" for cleanliness is being conducted nationwide on Thursday.

Emphasising the importance of consistency, he said this should not be seen as a one-day campaign, but as a commitment to daily cleanliness. "Only then will our neighbourhoods, villages, cities, and the entire state remain clean," he added.

The CM emphasised the importance of collective effort to ensure Panchkula tops the cleanliness rankings.

He said that approximately 1.50 lakh tons of waste from Panchkula's Sector 23 dumping ground will be cleared and properly disposed of, enhancing the city's cleanliness and beauty.

Urging people to plant and protect as many trees as possible, he highlighted that since 2014, the government has planted 18 crore saplings across the state, with a target of 2.10 crores trees this year.

He added that planting trees not only reduces pollution but also enhances greenery, cleanliness, and the overall beauty of the environment.

Saini said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Swachh Bharat Mission in 2014, and the people of Haryana have actively supported this campaign. As a result, Haryana has become open defecation free.

Haryana has achieved several significant milestones in cleanliness, he added.

Notably, two cities from Haryana were honoured at the national level in the Swachh Bharat Mission's Swachhta Survey 2024-25.

On July 17, at a ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, President Droupadi Murmu presented Karnal with the Clean City Award, while Sonipat received the Ministerial Star Award for cleanliness.

CM Saini said that Haryana has been open defecation free since 2018. Fourteen urban local bodies in the state have been certified as ODF++, 39 as ODF+, and 34 as ODF.

Toilets have been constructed in 7,30,000 homes in Haryana's villages. In addition, approximately 6,000 public toilets have also been constructed. In the state's cities 66,662 homes, 2,334 community toilets, and approximately 7,000 public toilets have been constructed, he said. PTI SUN NB NB