Tribune News Service
Faridkot, February 27
A week after winning the civic bodies election, a 70-year-old first-time councillor in Kotkapura town of the district has launched a cleanliness drive in his ward.
A small grocery shop owner, ward No 21 councillor Babu Ram said staff crunch in civic bodies and lack of dedication among sweepers had hit cleanliness drive for the past many years in Kotkapura. “For the past many years, there has been no cleaning of the drainage and sewer lines in my locality. Choked lines have been overflowing,” he said.
“I had promised to improve the situation during campaigning. Now as people have elected me, instead of waiting for the government machinery to work, I have hired a private trailer mounted suction machine (Gully Emptier) at Rs 6,000 per day to clean the drains and sewer lines,” he said.
For the past four days, Babu Ram along with his supporters has been sweeping the ward. “I have plans to install dustbins in my ward through public contributions so roads can made garbage-free,” he said. Chander Ram, a resident, said: “Babu Ram is setting an example for other politicians by fulfilling his poll promise. He also encouraging residents not to depend on the government, and take the initiative in keeping the area clean.”
70-yr-old councillor on ‘swachh ward’ drive in Kotkapura
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