Delhi govt directs schools, religious places, markets to ban single-use plastic, launches 20-day mega cleanliness drive

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday said that schools, religious places, and markets have been directed to ban single-use plastic. Strict action will be taken against defacement and encroachment, she said.

The Delhi government also launched a special 20-day drive to remove garbage, debris from roads, and public spaces. “Top officials will be held accountable,” news agency PTI quoted CM Gupta as saying.

These announcements were made following a high-level meeting chaired by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena at Raj Niwas which was attended by district magistrates, deputy commissioners, DCPs, and department heads, the report said.

"In every corner of the city, cameras should be active. Every religious place, market and school has been directed to ban single-use plastic. Dust-prone areas will be greened through plantations, and cleanliness will be carried out twice daily 8 am and in the evening," CM Rekha Gupta said in a press conference on Thursday.

The 20-day cleanliness drive

Aiming to transform Delhi's public spaces, the CM announced an intensive cleanliness drive across the national capital. The drive that begins tomorrow, will implement large-scale waste segregation, remove encroachments and ensure daily monitoring and reporting, a PTI report said.

During the press conference, CM Gupta stressed that all civic body officials would be held accountable for their areas. "Every top official has to visit their jurisdiction daily and submit reports to their department head, which will be forwarded to the CM's office. No encroachment, debris, or garbage will be tolerated on public pathways, parks or markets," she said.

She also said that wall defacement though posters or graffiti would invite strict penalties.

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, signalling a major push towards a cleaner capital under the new government, described the high-level meeting as a “turning point”.

In a post on X, Sirsa said that top leadership gave “firm, clear, and uncompromising directions” that no more construction debris (malba), garbage dumping or encroachments would be tolerated.

Delhi EV Interconnector (DEVI) announced

Sirsa also announced the beginning of Delhi EV Interconnector (DEVI), a fleet of green buses which will aim to solve the Capital's last mile connectivity issues. The DEVI services will begin from May 2, Sirsa announced on X.

Health check up for workers, family, 3 hours rest

CM Gupta also announced on Thursday that the Delhi government will conduct an annual health check up of workers and their family members, apart from issuing a notification to fix midday to 3 pm time period as rest hours for them.

CM Gupta was addressing a programme to felicitate workers on the International Labour Day in Delhi on Thursday when she made these announcements.

She also greeted and interacted with women workers on the occasion of Labour Day along with Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra and BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj.

She also said that BJP government is committed to ensuring better life for people who come to Delhi for livelihood and better health and education, a PTI report said.

Highlighting various initiatives undertaken by her government in the past two months after coming to power in Delhi, Gupta said the scheme for health check up will include all workers and their families.

The Delhi government will also ensure that the workers are provided rest from 12 noon to 3 pm when the day is intensely warm, and bring out a notification for it, she added

According to the report, she said that the BJP government in Delhi has already started implementing schemes such as Ayushman Bharat for health insurance, Vay Vandana Yojana for elderly aged 70 and above, Atal canteen for food and Palna centres for children that will directly benefit the workers.

The ‘triple-engine’ push

Highlighting the BJP-led central and state governments along with municipal control, CM Gupta said, "Delhi is witnessing a historic moment with the advent of a triple-engine government. This campaign, under triple enging government, will break the deadlock of years and turn Prime Minister Modi’s vision of Swachh Bharat into a cleaner, greener, and more beautiful Delhi."

The renewed focus on sanitation comes after the Bharatiya Janata Party’s decisive win in the February Delhi Assembly elections, where it secured 48 of 70 seats, reducing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to 22. Cleanliness and sanitation were major flashpoints during the campaign.

(This is a developing story. Please check back for details)