As a part of Independence Day celebrations, a “Clean Delhi” drive has been launched in the city. This Cleanliness Drive is indeed a good initiative taken by the Delhi Government, Revenue Department and the PWD, along with the RWAs and other officials, including the civilians.
The big question now is “Will Delhi really gain independence from the unclean conditions?”
Cleanliness drive in Delhi for Independence day
As a part of the 67th year of celebrations of the Independence Day, Delhi Government has launched a “Clean Delhi Drive”, to make the capital city of our country green and clean. All schools and headquarters and offices have been given instructions to be part of the “Clean Delhi Drive” campaign. The entire week starting 7th August to 14th August is dedicated as the “Mega Cleanliness Drive Week” for Independence Day celebrations. An official from the Directorate of Education has stated that the cleaning process of classrooms, school campus and offices of the Directorate of Education has already started. The schools are organising poster making, slogan writing and drawing competitions for the students. The theme is “Clean and Green Delhi”. Not only the school students and teachers, Delhi Government has also instructed the School Management Committee, Resident Welfare Associations and local MLAs to be a part of the cleanliness drive. Planting of saplings on the Independence day is also on the agenda.
Meanwhile, the PWD of Delhi has also launched a special drive for cleanliness as a part of the Independence celebrations. This cleanliness drive includes posters and hoardings removal, flyover painting, improvement of greenery under flyovers, garbage removal, cleaning the road markings and signages, and kerb stone painting on all PWD roads, covering approximately around 1,250 kms. Works are going on in full progress. As a part of the celebrations, the PWD will put 200 banners and around 16000 balloons will be flown on 20 major roads on Ring Road and Outer Ring Road. This initiative by the PWD is also supported by Resident Welfare Associations. As a part of this “Clean Delhi” programme, the PWD has already begun planting trees on various roads, colonies, buildings. The target is to plant one lakh saplings till Independence Day.
The revenue department has also launched a number of programmes that include sanitation drives, tree plantation, spraying of disinfectants in mosquito prone areas, cleaning of parks, gardens, cleaning of office complexes, organising nukkad natak rallies and cultural programmes in various districts of Delhi.
Will Delhi be a green and clean city ever?
However, a mere 7-day campaign for cleanliness is not enough to make Delhi clean. Being the capital city, Delhi should be an example for other states and cities in the country but unfortunately, Delhi stands exposed as dirty as one of the 20 most air-polluted places in the world. Delhi is already plagued with lots of environmental problems.
- The first being air pollution caused by transportation, factories and industrial smoke and dust. As a result of impure air, Delhi has to face thick smog, which is further triggered by increasing number of vehicles and industrial growth.
- The second is the noise pollution, again caused by automobile traffic on the roads.
- The third environmental issue is water pollution caused due to lack of waste treatment facilities. River Yamuna is filled with filth and wastes making it more and more impure over the years. All untreated sewage generated by the city is dumped in the river. More than Rs 1,500 crores have been spent over the past 20 years to clean the Yamuna but of no use.
- Last but not the least, how can we forget the disease outbreaks in the city every year, be it dengue or malaria? The reason being the drainage system is in a very bad condition in the city. There are no regular cleaning of drains. There are no proper wastage disposal areas. Garbage bins are not allotted at specified places. As a result, in most colonies, wastes are thrown on the roadside itself. All these make the areas infested with mosquitoes, flies and insects, leading to various viral and other infectious diseases.
- Delhi’s severe air pollution has also led to increase in respiratory diseases like asthma, lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, and other infections, which are fatal also.
Steps to keep Delhi clean
“Clean Delhi Drive” initiated by the Government of India is indeed a very good initiative, but it should not be limited to only a 7 – day celebration. This should continue. The government should come up with more effective programmes and measures to control environmental pollution. There should be solid programmes for waste water treatment, proper sewage management, and control of diseases. The MCD, NDMC and the PWD should take measures on regular and proper cleaning of all drains, roads, and other areas. Yamuna cleaning should be given topmost priority.
It is also the duty of us as “citizens” of this city to give support to all government plans and programmes. It is our individual responsibility to keep Delhi clean. Let us pledge on the auspicious occasion of Independence Day that we will follow the basic civic sense to keep our city clean. Who knows by 2015, Delhi will be free from unclean surroundings and we can proudly say that we are living in “Clean and Green Delhi”!!!