Patna: Patna Municipal Corporation has announced a special cleanliness drive to tackle the city’s mounting waste problem ahead of Durga Puja and Chhath. The campaign, beginning on August 15, will target plastic waste and littering, with offenders facing hefty fines and public naming.
In recent weeks, heavy rain and waterlogging have left streets in several neighbourhoods strewn with plastic debris. Under the new measures, cleaning teams will be deployed in every ward, and penalties will apply to those dumping household waste or construction material on roads. The corporation is also finalising tenders for Chhath Ghat preparations.
As part of the Jagmag Patna initiative, 50 new streetlights will be installed in each ward this month, adding up to 3,750 units already procured. Cleanliness corners will be set up in Durga Puja pandals, and the use of single-use plastics by shopkeepers and institutions will be strictly penalised.
The drive will include public awareness campaigns, encouraging children and young people to participate. Residents have been urged to switch to cloth or jute bags and dispose of rubbish in designated bins.
Preparations for Chhath, to be held in late October, face additional challenges as the Ganges remains swollen. High water levels have raised the risk of bank erosion and silt build-up at ghats, with officials warning of possible swamp-like conditions. Constructing approach roads to the ghats may prove difficult if the river recedes slowly.
