Disappointed with the state of sanitation in Chandigarh, 89-year-old retired IPS officer Inder Jit Singh Sidhu has returned to the streets to pick up litter, determined to do his bit to keep the city clean.Disturbed by the daily sight of garbage piling up in his neighbourhood, Sidhu said, “Someone should tell senior officers of the Municipal Corporation to visit different areas of the city every day and check whether sanitation employees are doing the cleanliness job properly or not.”He said garbage could be seen lying on roads, in parks, along streets and in market areas. In a park in Sector 49, garbage bins were missing, he pointed out.The market area, too, was in need of better sanitation. Sidhu said shopkeepers had encroached upon the space outside a public toilet in the Sector 49-A market, causing inconvenience to visitors and making it difficult for them to access the facility.Despite his fragile health, Sidhu remains committed to the cleanliness drive. He said he was happy that his son, who lives in the US, was also supporting his efforts.Sidhu said his son had offered to take him to the US because of his ill health, but he had declined. “I prefer to die in my own country while serving rather than going to the USA,” he said.He added that he wanted to contribute to the country in whatever capacity he could until his last breath. Having served the nation as a police officer, he said, he continued to do so after retirement by taking up the cause of cleanliness.Rajesh K Arya, a neighbour, said Sidhu cleaned the streets every morning and evening despite the physical challenges of old age. His dedication to cleanliness was a source of motivation for residents, Arya said.He added that he sometimes advised Sidhu to rest, but the elderly officer refused and continued with his work.The Padma Shri has not diminished Sidhu’s commitment to the cause. He retired from the Punjab Police in 1996 as a Deputy Inspector General (DIG).Sidhu said he had initially complained to sanitation employees after noticing litter and garbage around his neighbourhood, but his concerns went unaddressed. He then decided to take matters into his own hands and clean the area himself.He received the Padma Shri from President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi in June this year, bringing pride to Chandigarh residents.