Joint efforts needed to keep our villages, towns clean: Haryana CM Nayab Saini

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini today stressed the need to make cleanliness a daily practice rather than a one-day effort.

Speaking at the War Memorial, Sector 2, after participating in the special Shramdaan Abhiyan – Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath, he urged citizens, social organisations, youth, and women to actively support the campaign, adding, “Only through joint and consistent effort will our villages, towns and state remain clean.”

Saini announced the introduction of a cleanliness ranking system for municipal bodies, with top performers to be rewarded. He also assured recognition for Swachhta Mitras who play a vital role in the drive.

Highlighting key initiatives, he said nearly 1.5 lakh tonne waste from Panchkula’s Sector 23 dumping ground will be cleared. He also encouraged large-scale tree plantation, noting that 18 crore saplings have been planted in Haryana since 2014, with a target of 2.1 crore this year.

Reflecting on achievements under the Swachh Bharat Mission, the CM said Haryana has been open defecation free since 2018. Fourteen urban bodies have been certified as ODF++, 39 as ODF+ and 34 as ODF. Toilets have been constructed in more than 7.3 lakh rural homes and about 6,000 public places.

The event was attended by senior officials, civic leaders and Swachhta Mitras, with the Urban Local Bodies Department pledging to make every city in Haryana among the cleanest within six months.

Earlier, Saini paid floral tributes to martyr Major Sandeep Sankhla and sought blessings from his mother, Manju Kanwar.