CHENNAI: Workers of the Greater Chennai Corporation during the weekend collected 192 tonnes of construction debris, and planted 916 saplings across the city.
Under the banner 'People's Movement for Clean Cities', an initiative by the state government to keep the city clean and beautiful with the help of people and elected representatives, MLAs, councillors, mayor and officials, along with volunteers held a mass cleaning drive on Saturday and Sunday in all the 200 wards.
According to a statement from the corporation, the civic body's mass cleaning drive in 298 waterways across the city helped remov 128 tonnes of waste. Chennai Mayor R Priya kicked off the drive.
In addition, they have planted 602 saplings here. For the drive, 23 earth movers, 63 lorries and 127 other vehicles were used. The corporation has said it will hold similar drives during the second and fourth weekends of every month.
Officials said similar cleaning drives will be held in busy places such as bus stands, outside railway stations, markets and busy road junctions.
"Interested volunteers can register their names with their zonal officers and we have asked to create a database of residents who will be helping us to expand the drive every week," said an official.
On Saturday, volunteers and staff swept the walking areas near waterbodies and cleared waste from its bunds. Officials said they are focussing on slum clearance board areas such as the one in Foreshore Estate to clear all waste in public spaces. "We are also creating awareness among the people to not dump waste again and keep the premises clean."
