Modi effect: UP steps up sanitation drive

State government mulls declaring Agra, Mathura 'polythene-free'

Even as the ruling Samajwadi Party continues to take potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the Akhilesh Yadav-led Uttar Pradesh government has accelerated its own cleanliness drive.

The state is even mulling declaring tourist spots — Agra, Mathura, Varanasi and Allahabad — polythene-free to curb pollution. Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan has asked concerned departments to submit a proposal in this regard.

Recently, Samajwadi Party President Mulayam Singh Yadav had charged Modi with copying his concept about toilets. The former defence minister had said the Modi was replicating what the former had propounded in the 1990s in Uttar Pradesh.

Besides, he had said the problem of filth would get solved automatically with poverty alleviation.

In recent visit to his Varanasi parliamentary constituency, Modi had nominated Akhilesh as one of the nine famous personalities of UP to spearhead the cleanliness campaign in the state. Modi had himself picked up a spade to clear silt at Assi Ghat on the banks of river Ganga.

On his nomination, the chief minister reacted the state had already been working on its Green UP-Clean UP mission. While, Yadav has not yet taken up the broom like other celebrities, some of the other nominated from the state have already done so, including cricketer Suresh Raina and comedian Raju Srivastava. Now acting on Akhilesh’s directives, Ranjan has asked all heads of departments, divisional commissioners and district magistrates to prepare action plan and initiate work on Green UP-Clean UP programme within 15 days.

He stressed garbage should not be visible publicly and all departments conducted beautification and tree-plantation drive on “priority”.

The urban development department has been asked to utilise vacant space beneath flyovers for greenery.

The forest department has been asked to take lead in green-belt programme for next two years. The roadsides, especially highways, would be provided green cover.

Similarly, departments of irrigation, housing, municipal corporations and development authorities are expected to coordinate with robust campaigns.

The departments of forest, public works departments and municipal corporations would implement the drive in at least one main road of the city.