This year, the City Corporation is testing the ‘sporting spirit’ of its 100 wards. At the end of the pre-monsoon cleaning drive, the wards would be judged on how the places are kept spic and span and given trophies. First, second and third prizes will be announced for wards based on the activities they carry out during the two-month-long drive which marked a beginning on Monday at Connemara Market, Palayam.
The ‘competition’ is open for government institutions also, who can also win trophies at the end of the drive. “A sub-committee has been formed to evaluate the cleaning activities. It will inspect and rate the activities carried out to make the judgment for the awards. We hope that a better performance can be ensured this time,” said Health Standing Committee chairperson S Pushpalatha.
The civic body expects to bring about a positive change in ensuring total cleanliness in the city through this initiative, as the previous year saw the drive hitting roadblocks regarding garbage removal. Ward-level committees, health-sanitation committees and Kudumbashree workers are expected to join hands to make each ward clean under the monitoring of a ward councillor.
At the same time, the civic body is also trying to impart a makeover to the usual ‘dirt removal’ activity by organising processions in the wards, when the cleaning drive is over. This programme would be kicked off at Palayam ward on coming Saturday.
Commencement of cleaning activities in wards that have already prepared an action plan is slated from Tuesday onwards. In view of the school reopening, measures to be carried out there have also been formulated. An awareness programme on sanitation is planned at institutions in government/public sectors and schools. May 10, 17, 24 and 31 and June 7 are to be observed as ‘dry days’.
The pre-monsoon cleaning drive was inaugurated by Health Minister V S Sivakumar. Mayor K Chandrika presided over. V Sivankutty MLA, Deputy Mayor G Happykumar, UDF leader Johnson Joseph, BJP leader P Asok Kumar, Health Standing Committee chairperson S Pushpalatha, Works Standing Committee chairman V S Padmakumar, Welfare Standing Committee chairman Palayam Rajan, health officer Dr C Ummuselma and councillors were present.