Cleanliness drive launched: Citizens asked to show civic sense

CHITRAL, Sept 11: On the directives of the KPK government, a month-long cleanliness drive was started in Chitral with an awareness walk organized by the district government on Wednesday.

The walk started from Chew Bridge and after passing through the Chitral bazaar it ended at the parade ground near the Shahi Masjid. The walk was led by MNA Iftikharuddin and Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Shoaib Jadoon. The participants were carrying banners and placards inscribed with messages emphasizing on the citizens to keep their surrounding clean and neat.

Talking to chitraltoday.net, Rehmat Ali Jaffar Dost, the chairman of CHEPS, said that his organization had been doing the noble work of creating awareness of the importance of cleanliness in every nook and corner of Chitral for many years. He said though started very late the government initiative was welcomed and his organization would extend a helping hand to the local administration achieve the desired results.

Addressing the participants of the walk at the parade ground, the speakers said there was still no proper way of disposing garbage and solid waste in Chitral. Even at the DHQ Hospital the waste was thrown away in a very careless and unhygienic way that is causing different diseases in the area. They asked the residents to show civic sense in keeping the environment clean and neat.

At the end of the event, the MNA and the DC loaded some garbage into a truck of the municipal corporation to declare the campaign open. Besides the MNA and the DC, District Health Officer Dr. Nazir Ahamd, Chief Municipal Officer Mohammad Zahir Khan, Medical superintendent of District Headquarters Hospital Dr. Noorul Islam, CCO Nasir Qadir, and district TB control officer Dr Saad Maluk also spoke on the occasion. Students of Government Centennial Model High School and representatives of civil society organizations were also present.–Gul Hamaad Farooqi