Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept. 17: The Lt. Governor, A&N Islands, Dr. Dinesh Sharma today launched the Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 in A&N Islands at a function held at the Govt. Girls Senior Secondary School auditorium by lighting the traditional lamp. Member of Parliament, Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, Shri Gyanesh Bharti, IAS, Chairperson, SVPMC, Smt. M. Vasantha, Pramukh, Panchayat Samiti, Sri Vijaya Puram, Ms Champa Das, senior officers of A&N Administration, students and others were present on the occasion.
The theme of this year’s campaign is “Swachhata Mein Sahbhag, Swachh Bharat, Viksit Bharat”, which underlines the role of collective participation and shared responsibility in advancing the goal of a clean and developed India.
Addressing the gathering, the Lt. Governor called for collective efforts to transform the Andaman and Nicobar Islands into “Shreshtha Andaman” as part of the vision of “Shreshtha Bharat.”
Speaking on the significance of Vishwakarma Jayanti, the Lt. Governor said that Lord Vishwakarma is revered as the divine architect, creator and inventor, and is worshipped to remove obstacles that may arise in development and construction works. He said that the occasion provides an opportunity for people belonging to different communities, religions and regions to come together and pray for the overall development of the Islands.
Presenting a broad vision for the development of the Islands, the Lt. Governor emphasized the need to address water shortages, ensure reliable electricity supply, strengthen transportation infrastructure and introduce affordable flight services. He also stressed the need to provide better facilities and livelihood opportunities for local fishermen and to develop high-quality healthcare facilities, including advanced treatment for serious diseases such as heart ailments and cancer.
The Lt. Governor said that roads should be constructed on time and to high standards. He called for strengthening public confidence in elected representatives, officers and institutions through transparent and honest systems of functioning. He identified the creation of a corruption-free Administration as one of the important commitments associated with the occasion.
Emphasizing the importance of education, the Lt. Governor said that opportunities for higher education in the Islands should be expanded so that students do not have to leave the Islands for pursuing high-quality courses and research. He also highlighted the need to create adequate employment opportunities and to give priority to local residents in employment. He further stressed the importance of ensuring fairness and stability in matters relating to employment, land allotment and infrastructure development.
Referring to the Swachhata Pledge, the Lt. Governor said that cleanliness is directly linked to health and forms the foundation of sustainable development. Recalling Mahatma Gandhi’s emphasis on cleanliness and his practice of leading by example, he said that the Swachh Bharat Mission has demonstrated the wide-ranging benefits of cleanliness and sanitation for public health.
Ahead of World Tourism Day on September 27, the Lt. Governor called for active community participation in maintaining cleanliness at tourist destinations. He also urged people to participate in tree plantation under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” initiative on October 2 and appealed to citizens to take a pledge not to litter and to prevent others from littering.
He also emphasised the need to provide practical cleanliness education in schools, covering principles such as waste segregation, reduction, reuse and recycling, along with composting.
Referring to the water shortage prevailing in some areas of the Islands, where water supply is reportedly available only once in several days, the Lt. Governor said that an immediate solution could not be assured at present. However, he assured that sincere and continuous efforts would be made to resolve the issue.
The Lt. Governor said that he had reviewed the functioning of various administrative departments and identified areas requiring improvement. He stated that the Administration would seek support from various Central Ministries for development projects. These include better hospital equipment through the Ministry of Health; improved and affordable transportation through the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and the Ministry of Civil Aviation; modern boats and cold-storage facilities for fishermen through the Ministry of Fisheries; and hydropower and renewable energy projects through the Ministry of Power.
Emphasising infrastructure development, he said that road construction in the Islands would be undertaken in accordance with high standards. He said that the Islands could also aspire to have world-class infrastructure and facilities comparable to those seen in countries such as Thailand and Singapore.
The Lt. Governor called upon officers, employees and citizens to work together as one team. He said that there should be no barriers based on caste, region or community and that service to the nation should be the common guiding principle for everyone.
Paying tribute to the freedom fighters who endured extremely difficult conditions in the Cellular Jail, the Lt. Governor described the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as the sacred land and pilgrimage site of the martyrs. He expressed his respect for all places of worship and reiterated the collective goal of building “Shreshtha Andaman” as part of “Shreshtha Bharat.”
Concluding his address, the Lt. Governor extended greetings on the occasion of Vishwakarma Jayanti and the birthday of the Prime Minister. He reiterated his commitment towards development, cleanliness, transparency and collective progress in the Islands.
Earlier, the Lt. Governor administered the Swachhata Pledge to those present and reaffirmed the collective commitment towards building a clean and healthy Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Giving a green touch to the programme, he planted a fruit-bearing sapling in the school premises. The Member of Parliament and other dignitaries also participated in the tree plantation drive.
As part of the awareness campaign, the Lt. Governor flagged off a visit by students to solid waste processing centres. The initiative aims to provide students with first-hand exposure to scientific waste-management processes and motivate them to become ambassadors of cleanliness.
Thereafter, the Lt. Governor, along with the Member of Parliament and other dignitaries, actively participated in the Swachhata Shramdaan, leading the cleanliness campaign and setting an example of collective action for a clean and green Islands.
In his address, the Member of Parliament, Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, recalled the launch of the Swachhata Abhiyan by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, and said that single-use plastic carry bags were once widely used across the Islands. He said that plastic bags were commonly used while purchasing fish, vegetables and other essential items and were often discarded along roadsides and into drains.
He stated that sustained efforts under the Swachhata Abhiyan and active public participation have brought about a significant change in cleanliness-related behaviour in the Islands, resulting in a considerable reduction in the use of plastic carry bags.
The key focus areas of the campaign include the transformation of cleanliness target units and public places with high footfall, increasing youth participation in cleanliness activities, promoting a circular economy and encouraging “Swachhata Se Samriddhi” through the Waste-to-Wealth initiative.
The campaign launched today will continue until October 17. The Vishwakarma Jayanti programmes were also organised at Lok Niwas and Chatham Saw Mill, where the celebrations were attended by officials, employees and other participants.
