Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh today joined rest of the country in launching the 'Swachhta Hi Seva', a nation wide sanitation campaign on the occasion of third anniversary of Swachh Bharat Mission launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during 2014.  

Urban Development and Housing Minister Nabam Rebia while launching the programme here said that the dream of the Prime Minister for a clean India by 2022 is going to be a reality soon with all cross sections of the society supporting and joining the cleanliness campaign.  

Stating that the people of the state have realised the importance of 'swachhta', Rebia exhorted the people to participate in the campaign whole heartedly. "The panchayats and municipal councils should shoulder the responsibilities in imbibing social awareness and civic sense among the people for a clean and green Arunachal," he said and urged the people to stop polluting the rivers in the state by throwing garbage, which he termed as a 'crime'.  

Rebia also administered the swachhta pledge and flagged off four vehicles on the occasion. Urban Development Parliamentary Secretary Techi Kaso while lauding all stakeholders for improving the rank of Itanagar from third dirtiest city in the country to 216 clean city this year in national ranking further hoped that the rank of the capital city would be among 50 clean cities in the country next year with efforts from every section of the society.  

The fortnight-long programme which would culminate on October 2 next has a series of cleanliness activities throughout the state. PTI