People across country respond to PM Modi’s appeal, participate in hour-long cleanliness drive

PTI, Oct 1, 2023, 11:34 AM IST

People from all walks of life, from politicians to students, participated in an hour-long ”shramdaan” on Sunday, responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for a nationwide cleanliness drive.

According to the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, more than 9.20 lakh sites across the country have been adopted for the mega drive.

In a recent episode of ”Mann Ki Baat”, Modi appealed for ”one hour of shramdaan for swachhata” on October 1 by all citizens and said it would be a ”Swachhanjali” to Mahatma Gandhi on the eve of his birth anniversary.

Wielding a broom, Union Home Minister Amit Shah participated in a cleanliness drive in Ahmedabad. BJP chief JP Nadda also took part in the drive in Delhi’s Jhandewalan area. Taking part in the ”shramdaan (voluntary labour)”, Union Power Minister RK Singh told reporters, ”We (Centre) have taken a resolve to make the country clean. It is a big challenge but we will do it.” Union ministers and BJP leaders across the country grabbed brooms and took part in the ‘Swachhata hi Seva’ campaign.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel participated in a cleanliness drive in Ahmedabad. BJP MP Dinesh Sharma, who also took part in a clean drive, said ”swachhata (cleanliness)” has become the face of the country.

Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari took volunteered for a cleanliness activity in New Delhi.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi said it held cleanliness drives at 500 locations across the national capital.

Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, urging people to join the drive, said in a post on X, ”Come, let’s create a new history! At 10 am today, let’s volunteer for an hour, paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi through cleanliness.” ”Scan or visit local cleanliness programmes to join. Dream of a #GarbageFreeIndia Together, we’ll make it happen,” he said.

Cricketers such as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma also appealed to the people to come together for ”Ek Tareekh, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath” and join the largest citizen-led movement to strengthen the resolve towards cleanliness.

BJP MP Meenakashi Lekhi said, ”We hope that people stay connected with the Swachh Bharat Mission that was launched by PM Modi.” Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who took part in a ‘Swachhata Pakhwada’ in Lucknow, said such events are being organised across the country on the prime minister’s appeal. He appealed to everyone to participate in the drive.

The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry said NGOs, market associations, self-help groups, faith groups, trade bodies and private sector companies, among others, volunteered for the ”shramdaan” in more than 22,000 market areas, 10,000 water bodies, 7,000 bus stands/toll plazas, 1,000 gaushalas, 300 zoos and wildlife areas and various other locations in rural and urban India.

Among the states, Uttar Pradesh adopted more than a lakh sites for cleanliness drives while Maharashtra will conduct the programme in over 62,000 locations, including the beaches, religious places, schools, colleges and water bodies.

In Telangana, temples of historical significance were cleaned during the drive.