(Top) BMC workers clean roads and (above) snapshots of ward No.22 and ward No. 47, where the project will be launched. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, April 11: Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is all set to launch a clean Bhubaneswar campaign in two wards on an experimental basis.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik will launch the campaign in ward No. 22 on April 16. The next day, Chief Justice V. Gopala Gowda will flag-off the project in ward No. 47. The campaign seeks citizens’ support to keep the city clean.

The campaign, which is part of the 63rd Foundation Day celebrations of the capital, aims to educate and motivate people to keep their surroundings clean.

BMC commissioner, Vishal Kumar Dev said: “A beginning would be made through simple things such as collection of garbage at a particular place in a locality according to the needs of the people. Similarly, cleaning of market complexes would be ensured on time.”

“We have to ensure that the cleaning staff does their job on time. We will also not tolerate people violating cleanliness norms and they would be fined for making public places unclean,” said an officer.

In many areas such as Ashok Nagar, Bapuji Nagar and Cuttack Road, it was found out that eateries and restaurants were dumping their waste food items in natural drainage channels and storm water drains. It was not only choking the channels but also emitting bad odour.

Regarding the storm water channels, the municipal commissioner added that while the drains are to carry only the runoff water after rain, majority of the drains were flooded with solid waste, plastic packing materials.

“Local residents, businessmen and the commercial establishments should also try to conserve the drains so that water can easily go through the drainage channels to the water bodies on the outskirts of the city. Without awareness at personal level, the civic body cannot ensure clean drains. We will stress more on keeping the drains clean so that in the rainy season people face less trouble,’’ Dev added.

Councillor of ward No. 47 (Bapuji Nagar), Mahamaya Swain said the campaign would include door-to-door awareness drive by BMC employees and volunteers, which will also include school children.

School children will have a special role in this campaign as they will be future citizens and have the major role to keep their surrounding clean. Also, there will be a debate competition on the theme ‘clean capital’ to encourage students and the winners will be given special prizes.

Councillor of ward No. 22 (Sahid Nagar), Umanath Mishra added that apart from the dumping of wastes, use of dustbins and other cleanliness criterion, people will also be asked to be disciplined while parking their vehicles in the parking space and abide by the parking rules of the city.