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Parveen Arora
Tribune News Service
Karnal, May 6
Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief Sant Gurmeet Ram Rahim today offered all assistance to the state government in making Haryana clean. He said they could clean the whole state in four or five days. “I have told the Chief Minister that we are ready to extend full support to the government in making the state clean,” he added. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also requested the dera chief to launch more such campaigns in the state.
The dera chief along with the Chief Minister launched cleanliness drive “Ho prithvi saaf, Mitey rog Abhishaap” (cleanse the planet earth to remove disease and curse) at the Committee Chowk here today. It is the 31st cleanliness drive by the dera in the country and second in Karnal, in which lakhs of followers from across the country actively participated to clean Karnal city.
According to the administration, around 700 tonnes of garbage was lifted till 5 pm while the city generates around 100 tonnes of waste every day. The city has been divided into four zones and the district administration has made all arrangements for quick lifting of garbage. In 2013, garbage remained dumped in the city for several days. Around 200 tractor-trolleys and 40 JCB machines were engaged in garbage lifting today.
Ram Rahim emphasised a good system to ensure cleanliness and asked the government to enact law for it as prevalent in foreign countries.
He said his next film ‘Jattu Engineer’ to be released on May 19 is based on cleanliness. The Chief Minister, meanwhile, announced tax exemption to the film for six months in Haryana. The dear chief said he ventured into films to spread the message of spirituality and goodness, particularly among youths.
The dera chief and the Chief Minister urged people to keep their surroundings clean and avoid defecation in the open. Ram Rahim appealed to the people to get toilets constructed at the houses of poor people.
He said the dera had been working to conserve indigenous cow and people should serve the cow as its milk and urine are beneficial for humans. He appreciated the initiative of the government to tag cattle. He also asked the youth to say not to drugs.
Khattar said 14 districts (rural areas) had become open defecation free (ODF) while other districts would accomplish the target by June 23. Urban areas would also be made ODF by September 25.
The Chief Minister appreciated the functioning of the Karnal Municipal Corporation for getting the 65th place in the Swachh Survekshan 2017 and being adjudged the cleanest city in north India in the 2 lakh to 10 lakh population category.
On a suggestion of making the dera chief the brand ambassador of Haryana on cleanliness, Khattar said he would think over it.
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