ITANAGAR: Chief Minister Pema Khandu inaugurated the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign on Tuesday, kicking off a fortnight-long drive to overhaul cleanliness across the state. The drive aims at galvanising community action and creating a culture of hygiene and environmental stewardship and runs till October 2.
Speaking to a packed audience, Khandu underscored the importance of cleanliness for developing both body and mind. "To live healthy and to thrive, we need to learn to take care of our health and inculcate cleanliness habits that help develop mental and physical well-being," he said. His words echoed the campaign's overarching theme, aligning with the nationwide Swachhata Abhiyan by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ten years ago.
I will not hesitate to say that the change in public mentality towards cleanliness is simply phenomenal, especially over the last decade," Khandu said. "Ten years ago, Itanagar was a mess. Now, there has been a sea change in people's mindset regarding cleanliness and personal hygiene," he noted. Pointing out the collective responsibility of citizens, he urged them to render 100 hours of annual service towards cleanliness.
The campaign also brought up the work of NGOs, youth organizations, and community groups that have significantly contributed to cleaning rivers, proper waste management, and plantation drives. Their committed efforts have been crucial in consistently tackling the problems in solid waste management in the Itanagar Capital Region.
The many initiatives taken into consideration, the Urban Local Bodies and Urban Development Department was guided to research the best practices about other States of waste management and adapt the same for welfare in the State. To that extent, his order addresses issues plaguing the State through its bad waste and takes the cleanliness quotient of Arunachal Pradesh to greater heights.
Given the reinvigoration of community participation during the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign, Khandu is most likely to build on the last decade's gains and translate that into commitment for the future.
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