While newspapers were splashed with news that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take broom to kick-start cleaning campaign on October 2 incidentally the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) charted its own campaign for Ranchi. The RMC’s cleaning campaign will also begin from the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi.

On Monday, the RMC board decided to launch the massive campaign in all municipal wards and schools. The campaign will culminate on September 23 and till the end day of the campaign ward councillors will select one Government school each day to clean its premises and spread awareness about cleanliness.

“When our Prime Minister can do so why can’t weIJ Our campaign will be led by councillors of respective municipal wards. It is high time we realise that cleanliness is in the interest of the people,” said Deputy Mayor, Sanjeev Vijayvargiya. Entire RMC board has thrown its weight behind the campaign and will use social media, street plays, awareness drive through vehicles which will roam around the city and leaflets which will be distributed at door-step in each ward to solicit people’s support for the drive.

“We need to draw younger generation in the campaign and for we will create a dedicated page on Facebook. The page will be ready in a day,” maintained the Deputy Mayor. Meanwhile, board members asked waste management staff to increase the pace of garbage lifting especially from areas near puja pandal. The board members complained that garbage lifting has not been satisfactory and needs to be taken seriously for the campaign to succeed.

“Cleanliness around a puja pandal is not upto the mark. So the board has directed waste management staffs to lift garbage during night also,” said councillor of ward-28, Ashok Baraik. The RMC’s drive will also keep an eye on hotels and temporary roadside eateries setup during puja to prevent them from dumping garbage in drains and places other than marked for the purpose.