Rekha launches month-long cleanliness campaign in city

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday launched a month-long mega cleanliness drive titled “Delhi Ko Koode Se Azaadi”, calling for collective public participation to make the national capital cleaner, greener and healthier.

The campaign, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Swachh Bharat Mission, will continue till August 31, covering every ward, colony, market and office in the city.

The CM launched the campaign from the Department of Women and Child Development office at Kashmere Gate. Leading by example, she personally took part in the cleanliness drive by sweeping the premises.

Calling cleanliness a “civic duty,” she said: “The time has come for all of us to work together to make Delhi waste-free.” The Chief Minister said the first day of the drive would focus on cleaning government offices, with a special emphasis on removing old waste, e-waste and broken furniture.

She assured that all departments of the Delhi Government are committed to this campaign with full strength and determination. She said: “Every MLA, councillor and government employee in the Capital is a responsible partner in this change. The greatest strength of this campaign is the people of Delhi – every citizen is an active participant in this transformation. This is not just a government effort but a symbol of collective participation across the city.”

Key activities during the month include sanitation drives in unauthorised colonies and slum clusters every weekend, clean-ups at Yamuna Ghat on August 14, 21 and 28 and intensive cleaning along Ring Road on August 29 and 31.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has been allocated Rs 5 crore to support the drive. RWAs showing outstanding performance will be awarded with Rs 25 lakh for first place, Rs 15 lakh for second place and Rs 10 lakh for third place.

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) simultaneously launched its leg of the campaign from Shaheed Bhagat Singh Place in Gole Market. NDMC chairperson Keshav Chandra led the sanitation drive, joined by sanitation workers, RWA members and traders’ associations. He called the campaign a tribute to India’s freedom fighters during Independence month and said it aligned with Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of a Swachh and Samriddh Bharat.

The NDMC will conduct special drives across schools, parks, healthcare institutions and markets. Employees cleaned their offices across buildings like Palika Kendra, Mohan Singh Place and Pragati Bhawan.

Students are taking part through clean campus drives, essay contests and “Clean My City” marches. Departments have been instructed to scan, sort and dispose of outdated files and scrap to keep offices clutter-free.