New Delhi [India], October 2 (ANI): Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta took part in a cleanliness drive at Azadpur on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti under the ‘Seva Mera Yogdan’ campaign on Friday.

The Chief Minister participated in the drive by sweeping the area with a broom and later conducted an on-foot inspection of the entire locality. During the inspection, she reviewed the condition of the central verge, footpaths, roadside walls, drains, and public places, according to the release.

Expressing displeasure over encroachments on footpaths, illegal posters on walls, and scattered garbage, the Chief Minister reprimanded the officials present at the spot and directed them to take immediate action.  She stated that no negligence would be tolerated in the cleanliness of public areas and called for a permanent solution to the issues.

The Chief Minister interacted with fruit vendors operating on the footpath. She stated that while it is important to safeguard the livelihood of the poor, keeping footpaths clear for pedestrians is equally necessary. She directed officials to designate organised vending zones for the shopkeepers to ensure unhindered movement.

She also appealed to the market workers not to leave garbage on footpaths after finishing work, noting that such waste eventually enters drains and causes waterlogging.

The Chief Minister announced that the intersection currently being developed will be named ‘Atal Chowk’, where a statue of Bharat Ratna and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be installed in December, as per the release.

She instructed officials to pay special attention to the beautification, greenery, and wall paintings at the chowk,as stated in the release.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister remarked that Mahatma Gandhi described cleanliness as the foundation of a civilised society. 

She added that the Swachh Bharat Mission, launched 12 years ago under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has transformed into a mass movement today. She emphasised that cleanliness should not be confined to a single-day campaign, but must become a value lived every day. (ANI)