Punjab Newsline | Patiala
Strengthening efforts to make Patiala cleaner and greener, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has successfully completed two phases of Mission Clean Patiala, a sustained cleanliness and beautification campaign launched in April 2026 under the leadership and guidance of PPCB Chairperson Reena Gupta.
On the occasion, Gupta, along with Pooja Syal Grewal, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Patiala, inaugurated a dashboard to track the campaign's regular activities and launched the ‘Plastic-Free Lunch’ campaign aimed at reducing the use of plastic in schools and colleges.
Mission Clean Patiala, an initiative under Mission Clean Air Patiala, has so far recorded participation from more than 50 institutions, including primary, participating and supporting institutions. A total of 72 activities have been undertaken, covering cleanliness drives, awareness programmes and plantation initiatives.
The campaign has resulted in 13,790 kg (13.79 tonnes) of waste being lifted, while 800 saplings have been planted. A total of 1,814 volunteers have participated in the initiative, including students, teachers, NGOs, government officials and local residents.
The campaign has brought educational institutions, government organisations, NGOs and citizens together to encourage greater ownership of public spaces. Participating institutions have also promoted cleanliness and environmental responsibility through social media campaigns.
PPCB Chairperson Reena Gupta said Mission Clean Patiala was focused on making the city cleaner by creating a culture of responsibility towards roads and public spaces.
She said the participation of people from different generations, including Gen Z, millennials and Gen X, demonstrated that cleanliness efforts become more effective and sustainable when communities take ownership.
Gupta emphasised that the objective was to ensure that the activities continue beyond individual cleanliness drives and become a regular part of civic and environmental responsibility.
As the next stage of the campaign, PPCB has launched the ‘Plastic-Free Lunch’ initiative for schools and colleges. Institutions are being encouraged to adopt practices that reduce the use of plastic in lunch boxes and other lunch-related materials. Institutions successfully implementing the concept will be recognised under the campaign.
The PPCB will also continue road-cleanliness drives through participating institutions, with their performance reviewed on a quarterly basis. The best-performing institution annually will be recommended for the State Shaheed Bhagat Singh Award, encouraging institutions to sustain environmental initiatives and contribute to a cleaner Patiala.
Gupta also highlighted the link between cleanliness and air quality, saying that preventing littering and ensuring proper waste management are important to prevent accumulated waste from being openly burned, which can release harmful pollutants.
She stressed the need to complement cleanliness efforts with greater public awareness, reduced vehicular pollution and increased greenery so that collective action contributes to a cleaner and healthier Patiala.
The PPCB expressed its appreciation to all participating institutions, government organisations, NGOs, educational institutions, students, volunteers and citizens for their contribution to Mission Clean Patiala. The Board said it would continue to strengthen the campaign with the objective of keeping Patiala clean and promoting sustained community participation in cleanliness and environmental protection.
