The South East Central Railway (SECR) has adopted a ‘zero tolerance policy' for any act of littering in the premises of the entire Raipur Railway Division, officials stated.
The Division has appealed to the passengers, employees and even the general public to help keep stations, colonies, premises, workshops, production units, coaching depot, tracks and railway crossings always clean.
According to SECR officials, people caught littering around railway properties will be fined. Since August last year, in a bid to raise the level of awareness among the commuters on the importance of sanitation, the SouthEast Central Railway (SECR) has continued with an elaborate cleanliness drive in all the railway stations of the circle.
While launching the campaign, the senior Railway officials have urged the travellers to co-operate with the railway administration to keep the station premises and the trains neat and tidy. Stating that the authority was taking all necessary steps to provide a hygienic atmosphere to the passengers, the officials said that the railways alone could not improve the sanitary conditions until it gets active support from the passengers.
Meanwhile, the authority also displayed strictness towards those found littering garbage at the various railway stations. As many as 77 commuters were fined total of Rs7,700 on a single day, officials stated.
The Railways sought the travellers’ co-operation to avoid carrying out unhygienic practices such as spitting and urinating in the station premises. Passengers should use the public convenience facilities provided in the stations, officials stated. People should avoid throwing the leftover food in the coaches and platforms, which would lead to the deterioration of sanitary conditions. They should also stop using the toilets in the coaches when the trains are at the station.
With a view to sensitising people regarding maintaining cleanliness, the officers of South East Central Railway (SECR) made wall paintings along with students and volunteers of Bharat Scouts and Guides on the boundary wall at Durg railway station . At Durg railway station, the wall paintings were done by students and volunteers in presence of Senior Divisional Personnel Officer, Mukesh Bahadur Singh and Senior Divisional Commercial Manager R Sudarshan.
The wall paintings carried the message for people on different themes. The students and volunteers tried to explain people the importance of cleanliness and consequences of insanitation. They appealed to the passengers through the paintings not to litter garbage and to help the Railways in maintaining a clean environment.
The officers said that SECR has launched a cleanliness fortnight. The officers will appeal to the passengers to participate in the campaign and help in creating awareness and removing in-sanitation.
On 145th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi last year, the employees of SECR division also took pledge of dedicating their time and energy in maintaining cleanliness in their surroundings.
The Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Raipur, Rajeev Saxena administrated oath to the employees excluding the running staff, of ‘Clean Rail – Clean India’. He urged the employees to dedicate 100 hours in a year (two hours in a week) for cleaning as their contribution to make the country a better place to live in. later addressing a gathering, Saxena had stated that people should ensure their participation in the campaign as ‘it’s everyone’s responsibility to ensure a 'Clean Raipur, Clean Chhattisgarh and Clean India.’ The school andcollege students and Scouts and Guides cadets conducted a street play ‘Dustbin’ at all platforms of Raipur Railway station to generate awareness about cleanliness among the passengers.
With the same motto, the members of Civil Defense launched a signature drive at the all the Railway stations including in Raipur. On the occasion, the Railway officials and employees launched an intense cleanliness drive at the Railway station premises, tracks, Railway colony, offices, workshops, production units, coaching depot, Railway gate, platforms, reservation centres, booking office, retiring rooms, dormitory etc.
They also urged the passengers not to throw garbage anywhere but to use dustbin. The Railways took pamphlets distribution, CCTV technique and announcement through loudspeakers as means of spreading awareness among the passengers for maintaining cleanliness.