India

Punjab Extends Cleanliness Campaign, Plans Four Saturday Drives Across 166 Urban Bodies

By Today News Hours Editorial Desk

Punjab's Local Government Minister Harjot Singh Bains announced on Tuesday that the state's 'Cleanliness Campaign 2.0' will be extended until September 12, citing strong public participation and the resolution of more than 83 percent of civic complaints received during the initiative. Bains also unveiled plans for four mega Saturday cleanliness drives aimed at institutionalizing citizen involvement across all 166 Urban Local Bodies in the state. The cleanliness campaign began on August 29, covering all 166 ULBs, which include 14 Municipal Corporations and 152 Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats. Speaking at a press conference at MC Bhawan, Bains said the campaign had received 6,459 complaints from citizens through the M-Seva app, with 5,407 of them, or over 83 percent, resolved on the ground. He explained that a surge in citizen participation and a spike in complaints submitted through the app on the campaign's final day prompted the Bhagwant Mann government to extend it through September 12. Bains emphasized the cultural significance of cleanliness in Punjab, describing the state as the sacred land of Gurus, saints and martyrs. He said the campaign demonstrated that sustainable cleanliness cannot be achieved without active public involvement, adding that the effort goes beyond garbage disposal to reshaping the future of urban Punjab. The minister said the government's next priority is to make citizen participation a permanent fixture beyond the current campaign. To achieve this, four mega cleanliness drives will be held on consecutive Saturdays starting September 12, in partnership with NGOs, market associations, youth clubs, religious organizations and Resident Welfare Associations. Bains appealed to residents to dedicate two to three hours on Saturday mornings to help clean parks, markets and neighborhoods. He also noted that the Local Government Department has implemented a door-to-door garbage collection system across all cities to stop the reemergence of Garbage Vulnerable Points. Residents were urged to hold onto their waste at home until collection vehicles arrive, with Bains warning that littering in public spaces would result in strict fines once the awareness phase ends. He shared that he had personally visited towns including Kurali, Kharar and Nangal over the past ten days, spending two to three hours daily observing ground operations and the efforts of sanitation workers, or Safai Sewaks. However, he stressed that even dedicated sanitation efforts would not succeed without cooperation from citizens, noting that achieving cleanliness standards comparable to cities in Japan requires strong civic responsibility. Bains expressed gratitude to MLAs, Deputy Commissioners, Municipal Commissioners, councillors and sanitation staff for their contributions to the campaign. He said a detailed analysis of data, along with photographic documentation of permanently eliminated Garbage Vulnerable Points, would be released once the campaign concludes. He concluded by stating that this marks only the beginning of a broader effort, expressing confidence that Punjab would set a new standard in urban sanitation.