Mayor of Jammu, Chander Mohan Gupta, today emphasized the need for collective efforts towards making Jammu the cleanest city of India.

He was speaking at the culmination function of anti-polythene drive carried out by the Department of Social Forestry, Jammu, from Kunjwani Chowk to Sidhra here at Eco Park, Raika.

Gupta said that the traits of cleanliness were espoused by Gandhiji long back and has now been embraced by our PM himself by taking a broom in his hand at Valmiki Colony, Delhi. He maintained that Jammu city is fast changing for good saying that the ranking of Jammu in nation-wide Swachh Survekshan index has jumped over from 329th in 2019 to 169th position in 2021.

Deputy Mayor, Purnima Sharma, exhorted upon all to be ambassador of ‘Swachhta Mission’ kick started by the Prime Minister. She enjoined upon all especially the students to inculcate in them the habit of keeping their surroundings clean and hygienic. She said that by saying ‘No to Plastic' we can transfer the safe, healthy and sustainable environment to our next generations.

Commissioner Secretary, Forest, Sanjeev Verma, in his address, stated that it is the leadership and people who actually make these initiatives successful. He stated that he has given the target of planting more than 5 lakh saplings in the city to social forestry department before the onset of Van Mohatsav this year.

Verma further enunciated that ‘Sab ka Saath; Sab ka Prayas' is essential in making our environment plausible in every respect. He called upon the youngsters and students to spread the message of avoiding single-use plastic everywhere. He encouraged everybody to use natural materials only for packaging and carrying purposes and urged upon the Municipal Corporation to help people by providing them the alternate material instead of this hazardous item for day to day use.

PCCF/Director, Social Forestry, Roshan Jaggi, lauded all the volunteers including students, NYKs, employees and NGOs for taking part in this initiative. He informed that today’s cleanliness drive though was confined to 20 km stretch of National Highway yet it carries a greater significance as such societal problems can be resolved through community participation and behavioral change.

He stated that the department is entrusted to play its role in conservation of environment, pollution abatement and climate change mitigation efforts. He said that it would continue engaging society by promoting such community-based actions. He disclosed that such drives shall be taken up regularly in various Gram Panchayats/towns in coming months by involving PRI representatives and other stakeholders.

Chairperson, Health and Sanitation, JMC, stated that soon Jammu would be made a ‘Plastic Mukt’ city saying that polythene ban should be strictly enforced by all for the betterment of our mother earth.

Earlier, a cleanliness drive was carried out on the stretch of National Highway from Kunjwani Chowk to Sidhra in which large number of students from government schools and colleges including village panchayat representatives, volunteers from NYK, civil society members, and NGOs participated.

The initiative had been taken in the backdrop of directions issued by the Chief Secretary given to various departments to make concerted efforts against the increasing plastic pollution in the UT.