Drawing inspiration from the Swachh Bharat campaign is the Swachh Ward Programme that was inaugurated by Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) Commissioner, Dr. K. Vijayakarthikeyan today. Ward 28, Boer Street, is the first to adopt this programme.

As a part of the initiative, corporate house C.R.I. Pumps has joined hands with the CCMC to implement this programme at Ward 28. As per this programme, the ward will be made a defecation-free zone. As a part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) project, C.R.I. Pumps will sanction funds to construct 100 toilets. 27 of these will be constructed in Ward 28.

The ‘No Dumping – My Waste – My Responsibility’ concept will also be implemented in the ward. “Today, a battery-operated vehicle donated by C.R.I. Pumps for this cause was inaugurated by three children – Haricharan, Ethan, and Janav, at Boer Street, Saravanampatti,” Suresh Bhandari, head of the ‘No Dumping – My Waste – My Responsibility’ programme, said. We are told that in the future, depending on the need, more such vehicles will be donated. Also mass clean-up drives will be organized in Ward 28.

Speaking to Covai Post after the inaugurating the programme, S.R. Aujunan Gopalakrishnan, Councillor of Ward 28, said, “I’m happy that the Swachh Ward Programme is inaugurated in our ward. We will work together with the CCMC and the corporate house, and transform this ward in a few months down the line.”

He also added that currently about 25 sanitary workers are appointed to keep this ward neat and tidy. He has requested the CCMC to sanction more workers as the team is understaffed. A request for allocation of about 25 push-carts for this ward has also been made by its Councillor.

Also on priority for the improvement of Ward 28 is the development of the roads that run through the five-kilometre stretch of this ward. “Drainage too must be improved in this ward. We have no problem with drinking water supply and street lights,” Aujunan shares.

About 40,000 people, who work in the Information Technology (IT) sector in Coimbatore, are residents of Ward 28.