Shanghai launches citywide clean-up campaign
A street-washing vehicle cleans Fenglin Road near Zhongshan Hospital on Friday.
A citywide clean-up campaign targeting areas near hospitals, schools, wet markets and Metro stations started on Friday, Shanghai's greenery authorities said.
In Xuhui District, the campaign covered areas around locations such as Zhongshan Hospital and Yishan Road Metro Station.
The vicinity around Zhongshan Hospital has been the site of numerous irregularities over the years, such as unlicensed business operations and building of illegal structures, all of which have drawn widespread complaints, the Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau said.
Crackdowns have been conducted which have stamped out these irregularities, the bureau said.
Garbage on streets and greenbelts near the hospital is cleared and the cleaning frequency has been increased. Streetside businesses are encouraged to join the campaign, too.
Authorities also inspected cleaning work at Yishan Road Metro Station, which is prone to sanitation and parking issues, as well as the Hongzhu wet market in Changning District, the biggest agricultural market in Hongqiao area. The market has more than 200 businesses and receives an average of 15,000 visitors daily.
"The campaign covers specific areas with high traffic but poor sanitation, and the aim is to improve their overall environment and appearance," said Wang Yongwen, director of the sanitation management department of the bureau.
"We have increased the frequency of road-washing and we encourage streetside businesses in these areas to participate and contribute to a better environment," he said. “The target is to make such campaign regular.”
The drive involved about 21,000 sanitation workers, 10,000 volunteers and some 3,100 washing vehicles, the bureau said.
