Speaking at the ceremony organised by the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) at Kalamandira, Wadiyar said pourakarmikas – the municipal sanitation staff – are the "true ambassadors of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan" and credited them with the city’s reputation as a clean urban centre.
He highlighted that the Swachh Bharat programme and the construction of household toilets have helped improve public health across India, citing UNICEF and World Health Organization reports that link better sanitation to a marked decline in infant mortality.
Wadiyar warned that Mysuru’s rapid expansion, especially along the Ring Road and the city’s outskirts, is stretching existing cleaning resources and will require both greater MCC capacity and additional manpower to sustain current standards.
Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy echoed the praise, noting that pourakarmikas begin work before dawn and continue through rain and heat, and singled out their swift clean‑up during the Jamboo Savari festival, when 8‑10 lakh visitors gathered, as a testament to their efficiency.
MCC Commissioner M.K. Savita added that a recent cleanliness drive identified around 80 garbage‑vulnerable points, all of which have been cleared through the workers’ efforts, and announced that the corporation has upgraded safety gear, provided insurance and organised comprehensive health camps in partnership with private hospitals.
Savita also said that cultural and sports programmes were held for the pourakarmikas during the celebrations, encouraging broader community participation to help Mysuru achieve the goal of becoming the nation’s top clean city.