KOCHI: Mayor Tony Chammany will pick the broom to clean his office premises at the Kochi Corporation on November 1. The Mayor will also carry out a two-week-long cleanliness drive in the city from November 1 to 14.
The whole bunch of standing committee chairpersons, high-level officers and corporation staffers will also take the broom to clean the corporation office on the first day. Chammany has urged his colleagues and councillors to come to public places for cleaning during the two weeks.
Is the campaign taking a leaf out of the ‘Swach Bharat’ experiment ? Of course no, said Mayor, perhaps aware of the direction in which the wind is blowing in politics.
“It is our duty to keep the city clean,” said the Mayor. “The two-week-long drive is to give a message that cleanliness is a personal responsibility of every citizen in Kochi,” he added.
Along with the campaign for cleanliness, Chammany has also decided to act tough on the crowding of unauthorised flex boards in the city.
“Kochi has become one of the most visually polluted cities in the state. Builders flank flex boards on the streets without taking any permission. The corporation has decided to declare such buildings as illegal and slap a three times excess fine,” said Chammany.
“The politicians and bureaucrats, including myself, will physically take part in the cleaning drive. We will not be just supervising the work,” he added.