Karnal, November 12 (Praveen Walia):- Mayor of Municipal Corporation Karnal Renu Bala Gupta and Municipal Corporation Commissioner Saloni Sharma congratulated all councillors and citizens at a meeting held in the Corporation’s auditorium on Thursday after Karnal city once again received the President’s Award in Swachh Survekshan 2025-26. The prestigious award was presented to Karnal for becoming the cleanest city in Haryana at a dignified ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, by President Droupadi Murmu. All councillors, nominated councillors, Additional Municipal Commissioner Ashok Kumar, Section Officer Harish Kumar, and officers and employees of the sanitation team were present at the meeting.
Mayor Renu Bala Gupta described the prestigious President’s Award for cleanliness as a matter of pride for the people of Karnal. She said that a few years ago, the Prime Minister of the country, Sh. Narendra Modi, had given the citizens the basic mantra of cleanliness. Today, the situation is such that while India was once counted among unclean countries abroad, several countries around the world are now adopting the methods and practices being followed in India in the field of cleanliness. She recalled how the Prime Minister had inspired citizens to join the cleanliness campaign. While holding the office of Prime Minister, he had also set an exemplary and outstanding example by washing the feet of sanitation workers and boosting their morale. She congratulated and extended her best wishes to all city residents, councillors, Ward Committee members and the entire Municipal Corporation team on receiving the prestigious President’s Award.
She said that in 2014, Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi had launched the campaign for complete cleanliness from the ramparts of the Red Fort and appealed to citizens to keep their respective areas clean. The unprecedented results of that initiative are now visible to everyone. Inspired by the Prime Minister’s appeal, the then Chief Minister of Haryana and present Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Sh. Manohar Lal, had launched a public cleanliness movement in the state. As a result, Haryana has received several national-level awards so far. This is a major achievement. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, several development and cleanliness initiatives in the city are bringing recognition to Karnal.
She said that cleanliness initiatives are not undertaken merely to win awards; rather, cleanliness is a continuous process. She urged Municipal Corporation councillors, Ward Committee members and citizens to work together to turn cleanliness into a public movement across the city. Preparations for the upcoming Swachh Survekshan 2026-27 should begin right away so that the target of securing the number one position in the country can be achieved.
Municipal Corporation Commissioner Saloni Sharma also congratulated all city residents on Karnal being selected for the prestigious President’s Award and said that this had been made possible through collective cooperation. She appreciated the sanitation officers, sanitation team, experts, sanitation supervisors and sanitation workers, saying that they continue their cleanliness work under all circumstances. In view of this, their contribution is the most significant. She said that Municipal Corporation Karnal would continue to work hard and with dedication to secure the first position in cleanliness across the country, and that the target would be achieved through public participation. She also appealed to city residents to follow the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, and use four types of dustbins in every household.
How Was This Achieved?
The Municipal Corporation Commissioner explained that cleanliness programmes have been progressing rapidly in Karnal for the past several years. Door-to-door garbage collection and the segregation of wet and dry waste before transporting it to the Solid Waste Plant are among the major factors in meeting cleanliness standards. These efforts have also increased public awareness, and now more than 50 per cent of the total waste collected from the city every day is being segregated. This segregation has also made the functioning of the Solid Waste Plant much more effective than before.
