Chandigarh, 27 August (H.S.): In a major initiative aimed at making Punjab garbage-free, Local Government Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Thursday announced a 10-day special cleanliness drive from August 29 to September 7 to eliminate all Garbage Vulnerable Points (GVPs) across the state.Addressing a press conference at Punjab Bhawan, Bains said the campaign would further strengthen the Bhagwant Mann government’s ‘Mission Clean Punjab’ initiative. Under the programme, senior officials are already conducting daily field inspections between 7 am and 8 am to monitor cleanliness and identify problem areas.The Minister said Punjab is the sacred land of the Gurus and saints and maintaining its cleanliness is a collective responsibility. He added that MLAs, Deputy Commissioners, Municipal Corporation Commissioners, Additional Deputy Commissioners, Executive Officers and NGOs would participate in the 10-day campaign.Bains said the campaign would focus on removing open garbage dumping sites from cities and towns across Punjab. He said up to 600 Garbage Vulnerable Points have been identified in Amritsar, while around 450 such points have been identified in Patiala.“All MLAs and officials will remain on the ground every morning for the next 10 days to eliminate GVPs. I will also personally participate in the field inspections,” the Minister said.The government has also invited residents to actively participate in the cleanliness campaign. Citizens can use the Punjab Government’s M-Seva app to upload photographs of garbage vulnerable points in their areas.According to the Minister, a unique identification number will be generated for every complaint, allowing residents to track the status of their complaint and the clearance of the identified garbage site.Bains said the initiative was not merely a government campaign but a people’s movement, stressing that public participation would be crucial for its success.The Minister also appealed to residents to respect sanitation workers and ensure that their efforts are not undermined by irresponsible dumping.Recalling a late-night inspection of a cleanliness drive in Amritsar, Bains said sanitation workers often clean an area thoroughly, only to find garbage being dumped at the same spot again shortly afterwards.He urged citizens to support sanitation workers and participate in cleanliness activities in their neighbourhoods.The Minister said the entire exercise would be closely monitored through a dedicated framework. Special teams will be constituted at every Municipal Corporation and Municipal Council to ensure effective implementation and timely removal of identified Garbage Vulnerable Points.

Hindusthan Samachar / GURSHARAN SINGH