Shimla civic body launches initiative to curb littering

In an effort to maintain cleanliness and curb littering in Shimla, the Municipal Corporation has decided to provide taxi drivers with garbage bags. These bags will be kept in their vehicles and drivers will instruct tourists not to throw waste such as wrappers and plastic bottles from moving vehicles but instead dispose of them in the garbage bag.

To facilitate proper disposal, the corporation will install dustbins at various taxi stands, ensuring that both drivers and passengers can discard collected waste responsibly.

Bhupinder Attri, Municipal Commissioner, said in recent years, many tourists have been seen discarding garbage on roads and slopes while travelling, leading to contamination of the town and its surroundings. To address this issue, taxi drivers have been instructed to keep garbage bags in their vehicles and encourage passengers to use them.

This initiative is a part of a two-month-long cleanliness drive running until April. A meeting with taxi union representatives was held, emphasising the importance of their participation in maintaining cleanliness. Taxi drivers have been urged to educate tourists about the need to keep the town clean and refrain from littering in open areas and slopes.

The Municipal Commissioner highlighted that the primary goal is to raise awareness among visitors about cleanliness. Under this drive, several activities are being organised to sensitise the public. Women from self-help groups are conducting a survey to study how and where residents dispose of and segregate household waste. Additionally, a marathon will be held to further promote the message of cleanliness.

With these efforts, the MC aims to ensure that Shimla remains a clean and tourist-friendly destination.