Mumbai, March 17 The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced a cleanliness competition on Tuesday, which will involve the general public and various establishments.
The "Mumbai Clean League" is the brainchild of actor Akshay Kumar, who said the idea was inspired by the Indian Premier League (IPL).
At a press conference held at the BMC headquarters, Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani announced the "Mumbai Clean League" competition in the presence of Akshay Kumar, Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi, Standing Committee Chairman Prabhakar Shinde, and BJP leader Ameet Satam.
The competition will be launched immediately and continue until December.
Housing societies, schools, slums, hotels, gardens, public toilets and other establishments can participate under different categories.
Gagrani said Kumar has agreed to take the initiative, appeal to people from various strata of society, and serve as the brand ambassador.
"When we compare our city with other clean cities, we strongly realise that unless we get people to participate in cleaning the city on a large scale, we will not be able to achieve this. Until then, no matter how much cleaning we do through the municipal system, there may still be deficiencies," Gagrani said.
All participants will be given a QR code, Gagrani said, adding that winners in various categories will receive awards and may also be eligible for concessions on property tax.
He said the competition will be conducted in a transparent manner and evaluated by a Central government body, which the civic body has already approached. The solid waste management department will monitor the process.
Gagrani said the competition will set a new milestone in the city's overall cleanliness.
Addressing the media, Akshay Kumar said the idea for the competition was inspired by the Indian Premier League (IPL), which he had shared with the BMC Commissioner and others four to five months ago.
He added that he was pleasantly surprised to see the civic body fully prepared, with QR codes and other arrangements in place.
The actor also appealed to citizens to participate in the competition and keep the city clean.
"This can change a lot. We always depend on the BMC for cleanliness, but as citizens, what do we do? Now the time has come for citizens to act," Kumar said.
Responding to a question about the impact of the ongoing gas cylinder shortage in the city and elsewhere, Kumar said his wife had ordered induction-based appliances, though he was unsure whether they had been delivered.