Clean-up campaign to begin in city soon

ADODARA, MAY 17: Changing old individual water pipelines which lead to contamination, cleaning school, hospital and university water tank...

ADODARA, MAY 17: Changing old individual water pipelines which lead to contamination, cleaning school, hospital and university water tanks, and intensifying clean-up operations are some of the works to be undertaken by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation VMC as part of the Swachha Gujarat, swastha Gujarat Clean Gujarat, Healthy Gujarat campaign of the State Government beginning May 20.

At a meeting under the chairpersonship of Mayor Bharati Vyas on Monday, the VMC officers discussed plans to make the programme a success.

According to highly placed sources, the VMC has initiated a survey of contamination-prone areas, a majority of which are in the eastern part of the city. Sources said the residents would be given a fortnight to change their connections.

Meanwhile, contamination in Genda Falia has been found to have resulted due to cross connection between water and drainage pipelines. Sources said the VMC would also check other parts of the Genda Falia.

Deputy Municipal Commissioner General I B Peerzada told Express Newsline that the VMC would distribute a six-page booklet to its employees. The booklet carries guidelines to keep the city clean. Another 5,000 copies of two-page booklets will be distributed to the general public.

He said those littering the streets would be fined and announcements to stop littering would be made through autorickshaws. Zonal level committees would review the day8217;s performance.

He said on a single day at least 25 to 30 restaurants would be checked and 50 water samples will be taken from each ward.

Story continues below this ad

Clearing the solid waste is to be one of the topmost priorities of the VMC. The staff has been instructed to clear choked drainage lines and if necessary deploy more machinery and manpower.

Instructions have been also issued to regularly clean gardens, places near the state road transport depot, tea-stalls and marriage halls.

Those who attended the meeting included Municipal Commissioner G R Aloria, Deputy Municipal Commissioner Administration H S Patel, and Standing Committee chief N V Patel.

A similar 21-day long programme would be also carried out in other municipal corporations in the State.