Cleanliness drive in Perambalur rural areas falls short

PERAMBALUR: The cleanliness drive under the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ campaign in Perambalur district’s rural areas has proven to be largely ineffective, according to local activists and residents. Despite numerous schemes and efforts aimed at improving sanitary conditions, the campaign has yet to make a significant impact.

The 15-day ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ campaign, launched by the Rural Development Department on 17th September, focuses on maintaining cleanliness in villages, reducing single-use plastic, formalising waste management, and promoting tree planting.

A coordination meeting held on 10th September at the district collectorate was chaired by Rural Development Department Project Director S. Devanadhan. Following this, District Collector Grace Lalrindiki Pachuau officially inaugurated the scheme at Sirumathur. Multiple departments are working together to implement the campaign.

S. Ragavan, an environmental activist, pointed out ongoing issues with garbage collection, saying, “Banned plastic items are still available in the district. If solid waste management and plastic buyback schemes are properly communicated and implemented, littering in public places can be avoided. The workload for sanitation workers will be reduced. There is no need for the government to allocate separate funds for such a campaign.”

In many villages, workers collect garbage door-to-door using carts. Ragavan suggested the administration should provide proper safety gear and equipment for these workers, and called for medical camps to be organised for them.