Hurdles aplenty in implementing cleanliness drive: Activists

While people appreciated the initiative taken by the civic body and resolved to make it a success,they pointed out several loopholes and obstacles in the way of successful implementation of the drive. Members of the National Society For Clean Cities (NSCC) raised the issue of poorly equipped sanitation department in the meeting.

“The sanitation department doesn’t even have basic items like brooms,buckets and acid. As long as they are not supplied with adequate equipment,it’s very difficult to keep the city clean,” said activists. Activists also emphasised the importance of training sanitation personnel to carry out the task effectively.

Many activists also felt the need to spread awareness about practices to be followed especially during segregation of wet and dry waste.

“There are many residents who cannot differentiate between wet and dry waste. This proves that there is a need to create awareness about proper sanitation. The civic body should spread awareness through television programmes,hoardings,newspapers etc to address this issue,” said Susanne Raj of Wagholi Residents Forum.

Activists suggested that training sessions be organised for residential society representatives,restaurant owners and sanitary staff of the civic body. They also demanded that strict punishment should be given to those violating the norms.

Assuring the representatives that all the suggestions will be taken into consideration,Bankar said that citizens and activists can approach her with the ideas for effective implementation of the drive.

The year-long Yashwantrao Chavan Pune City Cleanliness Drive was launched by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Maharashtra Day (May 1).

As part of the drive,the civic ward ranking one would get Rs 2 crore as prize money and runners up would get Rs 1.5 crore. Wards on third and fourth position would get Rs 1 crore and 80 lakh respectively.

The prize money would be used by corporators for developmental projects in their respective wards.