Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit todaysaid Coimbatore would soon become the cleanest city in the country.”I have carried out visits in Maharashtra and felt the people in that State were the best in maintaining toilets and waste management. Now, when I visit cities in Tamil Nadu I have changed my opinion and yours will soon become the cleanest city in the country,” he said whileholding discussion with residents welfare associations and NGOs on solid waste management.

Tamil Nadu has a literacy rate of 89.2 per cent, more than national average and Coimbatore is among the four cities attracting industrial investments, he added.Purohit, who courted controversy yesterday for holding a meeting with senior district and police officials, inspected Gandhipuram bus stand and swept a bus bay and removed garbage from there, as part of cleaning drive under the Swachch Bharath initiative.

He said he would visit the district every year and also other districts and expressed the hope that the atmosphere would remain the same for years.He also inspected e-toilets in the bus stand, installed by the City Corporation. Inspecting the recently constructed bio toilet at the bus stand along with Municipal Administration Minister SP Velumani, he also saw a modern solid waste management system installed by a residential association.

District Collector TN Hariharan and Corporation Commissioner Dr Vijaykarthikeyan were among those present at the discussion. Purohit lauded the efforts of the officials in the district administration and the city corporation for the initiatives.