Chandigarh: Punjab governor and UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria launched the month-long Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 campaign on Thursday under the theme Swachhata Mein Sahbhag – Swachh Bharat, Viksit Bharat.Running from Sept 17 to Oct 17, the campaign emphasises citizen participation, waste segregation, recycling, and the safety and dignity of safai mitras under the core principle of “My Waste, My Responsibility”.Addressing the gathering, Kataria said that Swachhata Hi Seva is not merely a cleanliness campaign, but an initiative to bring about a positive change in people’s habits, thinking and lifestyle. He called upon citizens to participate in the “Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath” (one day, one hour, together) collective shramdaan programme on Oct 1 and Swachh Bharat Diwas on Oct 2.Special cleanliness and awareness drives will target public locations, including markets, parks, schools, water bodies, bus stands, and railway stations. Emphasising civic duty, mayor Saurabh Joshi noted that cleanliness cannot be achieved by the municipal corporation alone and requires active public involvement.Municipal commissioner Amit Kumar added that a coordinated series of community engagement drives, awareness programmes, and field inspections will be conducted across Chandigarh throughout the month.
