Lucknow, July 10 -- HCLFoundation has signed an MoU with the Uttar Pradesh urban development department to strengthen sustainable waste management systems in Hardoi, Prayagraj and Agra under the Swachh Bharat Mission. As part of the initiative, HCLFoundation flagged off 10 electric drain-cleaning carts and 10 electric garbage loaders donated to the Hardoi Nagar Palika Parishad. Three reverse vending machines were also inaugurated to promote plastic waste collection and recycling. The foundation has additionally undertaken wall-art-based city beautification in Hardoi and plans to develop three markets and three wards as model urban spaces. Alok Varma, project director, Samuday and My Clean City, HCLFoundation, said the partnership expands the foundation's My Clean City programme to Agra, Hardoi and Prayagraj with a greater focus on technology-enabled and citizen-led waste management. Anuj Kumar Jha, secretary, urban development department and State Mission director, Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), said the collaboration would help accelerate urban sanitation efforts, strengthen waste management practices and develop replicable models for sustainable urban development in the three cities. htc...