MC intensifies efforts to improve Amritsar’s cleanliness ranking this year

The Amritsar Municipal Corporation has intensified efforts to improve the city’s position in the nationwide Swachhata rankings, with a renewed focus on strengthening sanitation and restoring the city’s image, which had suffered in recent years due to garbage mismanagement. With a newly hired solid waste management company now ensuring regular door-to-door garbage collection across the city, the civic body is shifting its focus towards greater public participation in maintaining cleanliness.

Mayor Jatinder Singh Bhatia and Commissioner Bikramjit Singh Shergill said that to raise awareness among residents, the municipal corporation, in collaboration with social organisations Eco Sewa and Swachh Punjab Foundation, will organise cleanliness rallies on April 20, 21 and 22.

The Mayor said that the municipal corporation’s primary focus at present is to streamline the sanitation system, with teams working round the clock. The sanitation department is operating in three shifts to ensure regular garbage lifting, while special night cleaning drives are being carried out in major commercial markets and on key roads.

Commissioner Shergill said that around 750 metric tonnes of garbage is being lifted daily in the city, which he described as a record. To strengthen door-to-door collection, QR codes have been installed at nearly 80 per cent of households. A toll-free number has also been issued for residents to register complaints in case of non-collection of waste. He added that the waste management company is increasing the number of vehicles, including litter-picking vehicles and e-rickshaws are being procured to ensure garbage collection from narrow lanes.

Emphasising public responsibility, the Commissioner said that maintaining cleanliness is a shared duty of both the municipal corporation and residents. He urged citizens not to dump garbage on streets if collection vehicles fail to arrive on a particular day, and instead store waste in dustbins for the next pickup. He further said that the rallies aim to educate children about cleanliness, adding that they are the future of the country. He called upon residents to collectively pledge to keep the holy city clean.

The Mayor informed that the first rally will be held in Ward No. 4 on April 20, where local residents and schoolchildren will participate. Awareness activities, including door-to-door outreach and skits by children, will be conducted. Similar rallies will be held at Company Bagh on April 21 and Heritage Street on April 22 to encourage maximum public participation.