**Agartala, September 17:** Tripura SC Welfare Minister Sudhangshu Das on Thursday said cleanliness efforts can have a lasting impact only when citizens actively participate in maintaining hygiene and sanitation in their surroundings.
Das was speaking at Santirbazar after inaugurating the **Seva Sankalp Abhiyan** at Mukut Auditorium. He also inaugurated the South Tripura district-level **Swachhata Hi Seva** campaign, marking the occasion by watering saplings.
Drawing attention to the importance of community involvement, Das said cleanliness cannot be the responsibility of government departments alone. He called upon people to contribute to sanitation initiatives as part of their civic responsibilities while continuing with their daily occupations.
The minister recalled the **Swachh Bharat Mission**, launched on October 2, 2014, and said the nationwide campaign was taken forward with the objective of fulfilling Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of a clean India.
Das also outlined various sanitation-related measures undertaken since the launch of the mission. He said toilets have been constructed for nearly 12 crore households and noted that women have particularly benefited from improved access to sanitation facilities. He further referred to initiatives aimed at better management of solid waste.
As part of the programme, Das joined sanitation workers in the cleanliness drive in Santirbazar. He interacted with the workers and distributed special gifts among sanitation personnel of the Santirbazar Municipal Council.
The minister later visited Santirbazar District Hospital under the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan and distributed fruits and sweets among patients.
South Tripura Zilla Sabhadhipati Dipak Dutta, MLAs Pramod Reang, Mailayu Mog and Swapna Majumdar, Santirbazar Municipal Council chairperson Swapna Baidya, South Tripura District Magistrate Md Sajjad P, Santirbazar Sub-Divisional Magistrate Dipika Gautam and social worker Dwipayan Chowdhury were present at the programme.
The activities combined sanitation awareness with public service, with Das urging continued community participation to support cleanliness and hygiene initiatives throughout South Tripura.
