Chief minister Naveen Patnaik launches the Clean Bhubaneswar Campaign at Shahid Nagar on Saturday. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, April 16: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik today inaugurated the Clean Bhubaneswar Campaign with a call to the citizens to launch a people’s movement.

Launching the campaign in the Shahid Nagar area of ward No. 22, Naveen said that unless people make it their movement it cannot be effective. “This new initiative added a new chapter to the city’s solid waste management efforts,” he added.

Patnaik flagged off a ‘Parimal rath’ (sanitation chariot) and padayatra (rally), both meant to generate awareness about keeping the surroundings clean. The campaign will continue for three days in the ward 22 while tomorrow it will be launched in Ward No. 47 including Bapuji Nagar by the Chief Justice of Orissa High Court, Gopala Gowda.

More than 400 children drawn from various schools of the capital were present at the launch ceremony. An integral part of the campaign the children took part in the rally carrying placards which bore messages about keeping the city clean and green.

“Earlier, Bhubaneswar was green and clean city, but with urbanisation the entire region has turned into a concrete jungle with a lots of solid waste and garbage being dumped here and there as no proper waste disposal system exists. We will ask the people to be sensitive and dispose of waste properly,” said Anil Kumar Kabat, a Class IX student of the University High School, Vani Vihar.

Veteran actor Debu Bose, a resident of Sahid Nagar, admitted that there were not enough garbage bins around. He said that people had been left to make their own arrangements. “There should be provision for sufficient number of garbage bins to make the campaign a success,” he added.

Another leading actor of Oriya film industry Bijay Mohanty said: “People should not wait for the authorities to start an initiative like this and to act towards making the city clean. But in their own way every responsible citizen should contribute something towards cleanliness of his/her surrounding. More garbage bins should be supplied by the civic authorities at various parts of the city to help better collection of solid wastes.’’

“A campaign like this will help in sensitising the people in a better way. Bhubaneswar has a multi-dimensional growth in every sphere, so the awareness programme on cleanliness will increase its value as a highly sought after destination to live in,’’ added former municipality chairman and senior medical practitioner, Jagannath Mohapatra.

Bhubaneswar (Central) MLA, Bijay Kumar Mohanty was happy that Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is getting international recognition like Sasakawa United Nations Award for disaster reduction. “With today’s initiative on cleanliness the civic body has really gone a step forward for making the city a better place,’’ he added.