Promoting the 'Swachata' message across Secunderabad

Secunderabad: With Swachh Survekshan Rankings of 2018 around the corner, city's largest municipality zone is all geared up to improve the cleanliness and sanitation levels of areas in and around Secunderabad.

The first phase of the Swachh City rankings began two days ago with a team from the Quality Council of India randomly picking commercial spaces, lakes, schools and places of public importance in areas of Qutubullahpur, Begumpet, Secunderabad, etc. to assess whether the issue of open defecation and urination is controlled or not. An overall survey for the Swachh City is due in the last week of January 2018.

Ensuring that they contribute immensely towards increasing scores of Hyderabad in the Swachh City category, Corporators, ward members and GHMC officials, Safai Karamcharis of the North Zone along with the civilians are adopting unique ways to promote the message 'Swachata' in their wards or circles.

From discouraging open urination near public toilets, empty areas were decorated with beautiful rangolis and plants. While Corporator A Saraswathi and GHMC officials along with residents of Nagarjuna Nagar took out a rally in support of a clean living environment in Tarnaka, "Seeti- Laati" men were appointed in Begumpet to prevent people from defecating in the open through warning and whistling at them.

Inspections were held at commercial spaces like hotels and function halls along with petrol bunks to check whether they were allowing the public to use the toilet facilities in their premises.

However, in areas of Malkajgiri and Alwal, NCC cadets and school children were briefed on the importance of garbage segregation and were involved in the cleaning of their surroundings along with the GHMC officials. Posters and banners related to Swachh Hyderabad were put up in places of public movement like tea stalls, cinema halls, etc. to motivate people for a litter-free Secunderabad.

“The dream of Swachh Hyderabad cannot be fulfilled only by GHMC or the leaders. It’s supposed to be a combined effort from both sides.

Hence, we involved Resident Welfare Associations, slum-level federations consisting of 20 self-help groups, housewives, and watchmen as nodal points of our mission of a clean twin city. In association with ITC WoW Hyderabad, we are encouraging on-site decomposing of waste generated at commercial spaces and vegetable markets," said J Shankariah, Zonal Commissioner of North Zone.

Over 352 Swachh Dooths were appointed in the zone to ensure door-to-door collection of segregated garbage apart from the 331 Swachh Auto Tippers that are allocated for a clean Secunderabad. More than 3,217 workers, 501 Entomology staff, and 169 Sanitary Field Supervisors are committed to promoting "'Swachata' across the zone.