Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Sham Lal Choudhary called for making collective and individual efforts to keep the environment clean.The Minister was speaking at Pledge taking ceremony organized by the PHE & I&FC Departments as part of nationwide fortnightly sanitation campaign ‘Swachhata Hi Sewa.’The campaign, started on September 15, aims at mobilising people and reinforcing Jan Aandolan for sanitation and undertaking Shramdaan activities to contribute towards dream of Clean India.The fortnight long campaign will conclude on Gandhi Jayanti (October 2). Sham Choudhary administered the pledge to the senior functionaries of the department for keeping the PHE establishments clean and devoting at least two hours every week to contribute towards clean India campaign.Highlighting the benefits of clean and pure environment, the Minister said the promises made in the pledge need to be implemented in letter and spirit. He said strict action would be taken against the concerned, if any of the PHE stations are found unclean in future.
On the occasion, the Minister said that an amount of Rs 5 lakh has been sanctioned in favor of each PHE Division for carrying out cleanliness drives at their respective installations.Chief Engineer PHE, A.K Gandotra, while speaking on the occasion, informed that the Department will conduct symposiums and a sports competition as part of the cleanliness campaign.Chief Engineer I&FC, P.N Bali, Superintending Engineers, Executive Engineers, AEEs and other officers of the PHE and I&FC departments were also present at the programme.Later, the Minister also convened a public grievance redress camp in Suchetgarh in which the residents of Sherachak, Talhar, Magowalli, Badyal Qaziyan, Flora, Bidipur, Blaspur and other adjoining villages apprised the Minister about the problems being faced by them related to power supply, water supply, road connectivity, sanitation and healthcare facilities.The Minister assured them that their genuine demands would be redressed in a time bound manner. He further said the government has taken various path breaking steps for the development of border areas and it is committed to provide all basic amenities at their doorsteps.