TIRUCHY/ KARUR: The People's Movement for Clean Cities was launched by Tiruchy Collector S Sivarasu and mayor Mu Anbalagan at the Central Bus Stand on Friday. Over 1,400 people took part in awareness rallies taken out in this connection at the bus stand, railway junction, Chatiram Bus Stand, TVS Toll Gate, Ariyamangalam, Thillai Nagar.
The campaign began with the participants taking a pledge. School and college students participated in large numbers. Apart from the city, mass cleaning programs were conducted in five municipalities and 14 town panchayats in Tiruchy district.
Sivarasu said mass cleaning would be carried out at tourists spots, temples, bus stands, markets, Uzhavar Sandhai and government hospitals every second and fourth Saturday. The Mayor, Collector and new Corporation Commissioner R Vaithinathan distributed pamphlets to the public.
Vaithinathan also inspected the micro-compost yard at Kajahpettai in the 49th ward. He inquired about the quantity of garbage being collected every day.
According to sources, the commissioner found that the quantity of waste collected was much less when compared to the number of houses. He also expressed dissatisfaction over 'sluggish' functioning of the yard. He later inspected a health centre at Irudhayapuram.
On behalf of the Karur City Municipal Corporation, Collector Dr T Prabhushankar inaugurated the campaign by taking a pledge in Thanthonimalai. Krishnarayapuram MLA Sivagamasundari and mayor Kavitha presided.
As part of the initiative, Prabhushankar, Sivagamasundari, Kavitha, along with volunteers, sorted garbage, including plastic waste, bottles and paper bags, at the Karur Government Medical College Hospital. They were transformed into degradable and non-biodegradable waste.
More than 1,200 people took part in the programme. DRO Liyagath, KCMC Commissioner Ravichandran, deputy mayor Saravanan, Karur GMCH Dean Dr Muthuselvan and other officials were present.