With Gonda named dirtiest city, Aditynath wields broom for cleaner U.P.

The U.P. Chief Minister arrived at the congested Baloo Addar locality in the heart of Lucknow and began sweeping the streets.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday picked up a broom to convey his seriousness towards making Uttar Pradesh clean. This was a day after he expressed regret over the State’s poor rating in the cleanliness survey.

Accompanied by his ministerial colleague Suresh Khanna and other officials, he arrived at the congested Baloo Addar locality in the heart of Lucknow in Ram Mohan ward and began sweeping the streets.

Only one city of the state, Varanasi, had figured in the list of 100 clean cities in the government’s ‘Swachh Survekshan-2017’. Nine others were among the 15 dirtiest districts in the country with Gonda turning out to be the dirtiest city in India.

“Although this survey was taken up before we took over, our government has decided to work in this area and by December 2017 we aim to declare 30 districts and by October 2018 the entire state open defecation-free,” he said in the press conference on Friday

After interacting with the residents, he instructed municipal staff present to maintain cleanliness and said it was among the top priorities of the government.

“Why is the State capital so dirty? It is a matter of concern as to why Lucknow does not figure in the list of 100 clean cities… make all preparations before the onset of monsoon to clean the drains so that they do not overflow on the streets…

“All wards should be given instructions on cleanliness…people should be made aware of not littering on the roads and use of dustbins” he told the municipal department officials.