Sanitation Surge, 75% Residents Ditch Plastic In 60 Days; The Town To Get Rid Of 1,500 Tonnes Of Legacy Waste

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The ambitious campaign to completely eliminate around 1,500 tonnes of legacy waste from Depalpur gained significant momentum on Monday as Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav personally took charge of operations.

The Mayor arrived in Depalpur early this morning accompanied by a special municipal team, mayor-in-Council members, additional commissioner and senior officials to oversee awareness activities and accelerate cleanup efforts.

MiC members Ashwin Shukla, Abhishek Sharma, Bablu, Manish Sharma, Mama Rakesh Jain, additional commissioner Prakhar Singh, along with Swachh Bharat Mission officials, local corporators, and public representatives were present on the occasion.

Your responsibility first”: Mayor tells traders

Bhargav held direct dialogues with local traders, highlighting the substantial improvements in sanitation since Indore Municipal Corporation adopted Depalpur. “The corporation’s responsibility is limited the role of citizens and traders is most crucial,” he emphasised.

Visiting vegetable markets and shops, the Mayor urged vendors to segregate wet and dry waste, reduce single-use plastic and maintain cleanliness in front of their establishments as a primary duty.

Traders shared their experiences, noting that cleanliness in the town has visibly improved compared to earlier conditions.

Door-to-door campaign captures citizen feedback

The Mayor and his team conducted extensive house-to-house interactions. Residents reported significant improvements in waste collection services — previously infrequent, garbage vehicles now make regular, twice-daily collections. Corporators and sanitation teams have become more proactive, citizens noted.

Vegetable vendors observed a growing trend of customers bringing their own bags instead of using plastic. Market cleanliness awareness has increased, with several shopkeepers sweeping their areas up to four times daily to maintain hygiene.

60-day campaign yields dramatic results: 75% plastic reduction

The nearly two-month initiative has produced strong outcomes. About 75 per cent of residents have stopped using plastic bags, disposable items are being used less frequently and the habit of waste segregation is spreading rapidly, local traders told the Mayor. Traders have begun encouraging customers to use dustbins — a clear sign of a cleanliness revolution taking shape in Depalpur.

Uniform signboards, active citizenry

During a community meeting with traders, Bhargav suggested that uniform signboard sizes and designs throughout the market would enhance the area’s aesthetic appeal and organisation. “Cleanliness will only succeed when every citizen actively participates,” he stated. “Until society opposes wrong practices, good initiatives won’t succeed. Every citizen’s involvement is essential.”

Trenching ground transformed in single day

Depalpur trenching ground underwent a remarkable transformation within just one day. Where heaps of garbage accumulated days ago, a clean and organized facility now stands — surprising even local councillors.

Following Indore’s model of becoming number one, Bhargav visited the trenching ground where the legacy waste elimination campaign proceeded at an accelerated pace.

Over 200 sanitation workers remained continuously engaged in the operation, segregating large portions of waste within a single day and establishing processing arrangements for transportation to Indore.

Future plans: From dumping ground to beautiful garden

Bhargav acknowledged the commendable contribution of all public representatives and local leadership in this significant transformation. Following the cleanup, wet and dry waste will be separately collected and segregated to ensure systematic processing.

Preparations have also begun to develop the trenching ground area into a beautiful garden following the Indore Model. In the coming months, this location will serve as an exemplary model of both waste disposal and area beautification.