Lucknow, April 01: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday flagged off 250 electric and CNG vehicles powered by environmentally friendly green energy for better waste management of the Lucknow Municipal Corporation.
On this occasion, the Chief Minister said that when the people of Uttar Pradesh laid the foundation for change by removing political garbage, the efforts initiated by the double engine government in the field of cleanliness were successful and the ranking improved significantly.
Chief Minister bluntly stated that before 2017, the ruling parties in the state preferred darkness, but we are worshippers of the Sun and are advancing development in Laxmanpuri (Lucknow) in the name of Lakshmanji, the younger brother of Lord Rama, the Suryavanshi.
Addressing the event held at the Chief Minister’s residence, 5 Kalidas Marg, Chief Minister Yogi said that after nine years of renovation, Lucknow has now become one of the top three cities in the country in terms of cleanliness. Now, to take this achievement to new heights, we are moving towards the goal of ‘net zero’, where carbon emissions are minimized and a pollution-free environment is developed. In this direction, promoting electric vehicles is an important and commendable initiative that will lay the foundation for a clean and green future.
He said that, inspired by Prime Minister Modi, in 2017, we made extensive changes to the street lighting system. Previously, there were yellow halogen lights, which consumed more energy. This system was convenient for previous governments because they did not have to provide electricity. Those who were accustomed to robbery, darkness was better suited. Our government decided to ensure 24-hour electricity supply without discrimination, and the city’s lighting should be uniform, improved, and modern. Under this vision, the entire city was transformed into a “milky light” with LED lights.
Yogi stated that over the past nine years, Lucknow has achieved new heights of development in every area, including its cleanliness rankings. The city’s scope has expanded. People’s living standards have improved. Metro operations have begun. Road widening, drainage, and infrastructure expansion have strengthened connectivity. Today, Lucknow has also established itself as an emerging hub for defense manufacturing.
The Chief Minister said that through the joint efforts of the state and central governments, 17 municipal corporations and 18 municipal bodies, including Noida and Greater Noida, have been provided with CCTV coverage, connecting them to an integrated command and control center as “Safe Cities.” These cities are now being developed as “Solar Cities.” Ayodhya, the holy city of Suryavanshi Shri Ram, has developed into a Solar City. Similar work is underway in Lucknow by installing solar panels. Under the Pradhan Mantri Suryaghar Free Electricity Scheme, rooftop solar panels have been installed in more than 4.25 lakh homes in Uttar Pradesh, generating approximately 1500 MW of electricity. A 40 MW solar plant in Ayodhya is powering the entire lighting system with solar energy.
Chief Minister said that today, Uttar Pradesh has emerged as a leader in public transport, especially metro operations in the country. Metro services have been launched in seven cities, including Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Meerut, Ghaziabad, and Noida and Greater Noida. Due to improved public transport, the number of passengers is continuously increasing. Electric bus services are being rapidly expanded. City bus services are being gradually converted to electric buses. Electric bus networks are also being developed to connect cities and satellite cities.
Chief Minister noted that while door-to-door garbage collection seems commonplace today, it was unimaginable before 2017. The actions of those in power were also littered with garbage. The chaos and filth resulted in serious diseases like encephalitis, dengue, malaria, and filariasis, which severely affected Uttar Pradesh. The state that could have led in development and heritage had itself become a sick state, where innocent people died untimely. Insensitivity and neglect prevailed during that era, but today the situation has completely changed.
Chief Minister said that electric vehicles for door-to-door garbage collection are an important part of this campaign. Recently, Lucknow’s popular MP, Rajnath Singh, flagged off more than 200 such vehicles. Now, 250 new vehicles are being deployed in Lucknow’s wards. This will further strengthen door-to-door waste management.
Urban Development and Energy Minister A.K. Sharma, Lucknow Mayor Sushma Kharwal, MLAs Dr. Neeraj Bora, Amresh Kumar, Jai Devi, Legislative Council members Engineer Avnish Kumar, Mukesh Sharma, Pawan Singh Chauhan, Ramchandra Pradhan, Lalji Prasad Nirmal were present on the occasion.