Meerut, May 27 -- Even as Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister Dharmpal Singh's supposed remark that garbage in Meerut will soon be turned into gold raised eyebrows initially and a clip went viral on social media, he clarified that his statement was distorted. Speaking to HT, Singh, who is also a five-time MLA from Aonla in Bareilly district, said, "Distortion of my statement is distasteful. By 'garbage to gold', I was referring to a Rs 300-crore worth project worked upon by NTPC in Meerut, to produce electricity and organic fertiliser. The initiative will help farmers on a large scale; they will get gold standards for crops in their fields." "I am not bothered by social media propaganda. We are focused on public welfare," he said. Earlier, speaking to media during his two-day visit to Meerut district, Singh, who is the minister of animal husbandry, dairy development and political pension, used the phrase "kooda se kanchan" (garbage to gold) to underscore the project's significance. "A machine for this will soon be ready. There are a few technical difficulties, but we hope it will be completed shortly. Once it is ready, garbage in Meerut will start turning into gold," he reportedly said. At that time, he did not mention what this machine is called and how it works. The minister described the initiative as part of a broader push for improved waste management and urban cleanliness in the state. During his interaction with local media, Singh also stressed the importance of proper waste disposal and segregation. He said municipal officials have been instructed to separate wet and dry waste at the source and to ensure drains are cleared of debris such as cardboard and scrap materials that citizens often discard carelessly. "Often people throw garbage into the drains-everything from scrap to cardboard. We have directed officials to remove such waste from drains and sort it out properly. This will help keep the drains clean and allow the garbage to be managed efficiently," Singh said. He further said wet waste removed from drains should not be left lying nearby, as it often returns to the drainage system. Instead, proper disposal procedures should be followed to ensure cleanliness is maintained, he said....