NDMC gardeners, sweepers to go abroad for training

NEW DELHI, July 19: The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is planning to send a team of Gardeners and Safai Karamcharis (cleaning staff) abroad for training to give the areas under it the spruced up look of Singapore or Shanghai. In a first-of-its kind initiative, the civic body is sending a team of around 20 gardeners and safai karamcharis abroad to enable them receive hands-on-training in using latest technology to maintain cleanliness in public places. NDMC has zeroed in on two locations - Singapore or Shanghai - for the visit which is being planned for late August. However, the modalities have not been finalised yet. The initiative is part of the civic body's "smart city" project for which it is planning to introduce latest technology in a phased manner for maintenance of areas under its jurisdiction. "We are increasing use of latest technologies and we are sending this team abroad to give them a first hand account of how to achieve excellence in maintaining the NDMC areas and to give them an exposure to the latest technologies used abroad," a senior NDMC official said. "Based on the training received during the visit, we will expect them to replicate the model here and train rest of the staff," he said, adding, the team will be accompanied by few Civil Engineers employed with the council. Elaborating on the purpose behind the training, the official said, "We are planning to enhance the greenery in NDMC's jurisdiction and hence gardeners have been included in the team". "While gardeners will visit open spaces, community parks, nature parks and playgrounds to observe how differently the greenery is arranged there and how optimally the open space can be used in Lutyen's Delhi, the safai karamcharis will be taken around the city to give them an idea about how the sweepers there maintain the areas," he said. The civic body had recently introduced mechanical road sweepers. NDMC areas are home to the high and mighty of the country, including Union Ministers and Parliamentarians besides many top industrialists. Parliament House, offices of all the ministries, Supreme Court, High Court and residences of Supreme Court judges, senior bureaucrats and senior military officers are in NDMC areas.