New Delhi: In a sweeping move to rejuvenate Delhi’s public spaces, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday launched a 20-day mega cleanliness and enforcement drive targeting garbage, illegal encroachments, and single-use plastic across the Capital. The campaign, she said, marks a “historic moment” under Delhi’s new “triple-engine government”, with the Centre, state, and Municipal Corporation working in unison.
“In the next 20 days, an extensive cleanliness drive will be conducted at every level in Delhi. Every corner, every road, every place must be cleaned on a mass scale,” Gupta declared at a press conference after a high-level joint meeting with all District Magistrates (DMs), Deputy Commissioners (DCs), Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs), and senior civic officials.
Strict accountability, round-the-clock action
Responsibilities have been clearly marked. “DCs and DMs will be responsible for their zones. If any encroachment is seen or there is any lapse in safety, then it will be the responsibility of the DCP,” Gupta stated.
She further said, “There will be zero tolerance for illegal garbage dumping and encroachments. The days of blame-games between departments are over.”
All areas will be cleaned twice daily, at 8 a.m. and again in the evening, she added. Special focus has been placed on toilets, drains, and sewer cleaning, while dust-prone areas will be greened through plantation drives. Surveillance will also be strengthened. “In every corner of the city, cameras must be active,” Gupta directed.
Ban on single-use plastic in full force
Reiterating her government’s environmental focus, Gupta announced a ban on single-use plastic in schools, religious places, markets, temples, gurudwaras, and marriage halls. “All officers have been instructed to ensure strict implementation. The use of plastic must stop,” she said.
Delhi Environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa called the drive a “turning point,” stating on X, “Firm, clear and uncompromising directions have been issued. No more malba, dumping, or encroachment will be tolerated.”
Can the plastic ban work?
Environment expert Meera Sood believes enforcement will be key. “Plastic bans in Delhi have come and gone. What’s needed is sustained monitoring, viable alternatives for vendors, and public awareness. Otherwise, the ban becomes symbolic.”
Market vendors react, hope, but also worry
While the city administration has projected full confidence, many local vendors are cautious.
Raju, a street food vendor near Karol Bagh, said, “I support cleaning and order, but how will we serve food without plastic plates and spoons? Paper ones cost more.”
Another shopkeeper, Shazia, who runs a general store in Okhla, echoed a similar concern, “We’ve been told not to sell plastic bags, but the customers ask for them. Cloth bags are expensive, and we can’t afford the loss. Is it really possible to eliminate plastic completely? Every business depends somehow on plastic usage.”
For now, Delhi watches as its newly-aligned government takes on the city’s most persistent problems, dirt, plastic, and disorder, with an unprecedented urgency. As Chief Minister Gupta said, “This change will be visible. The public will witness the transformation.”