Swachhata is a habit that citizens have inculcated in their day-to-day lifestyle. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is an intrinsic part of urban swachhata and the campaign Meri LiFE, Mera Swachh Shehar has transformed into one such historic movement led by citizens. Nearly 13,000 Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (RRR) Centres that have opened nationwide so far, have witnessed more than 17 lakh citizens voluntarily donating their unused goods, old books, clothes, toys, etc. These items will be refurbished and recycled for reuse. For swachhta, citizens are going an extra mile to do whatever it takes to transform it into a jan andolan.

Karnataka citizens donate cycle at the nearest RRR Centre

From across the nation, contributions made by citizens from all walks of life be it musical instruments to unused plastic bottles, from old mixer grinders to cycle, citizens have been depositing generously while adopting the mantra of 3R are seen under this campaign.

While citizens from Karnataka donate cycle at the nearest RRR Centre, people in Raipur deposited musical instruments like guitar and harmonium. From 70 wards in Raipur, 1200 citizens contributed to the RRR Centre on Day 1. The women SHG groups, Swachhata Didis and other NGOs have also joined forces to render help.

Dhuri, Punjab

Various women groups in Khandwa, MP went on a door-to-door collection drive to collect old clothes, shoes and other used items. So far 500 clothes have been collected.  In Punjab’s Mahilpur, college students got together to open an RRR Centre in the premises. In Ghaziabad, 35 NGOs and 24 Resident Welfare Societies have come together to run the 5 RRR Centres of the city. Over 20,000 citizens have visited nearly 450 RRR Crentres in Karnataka. The Citizens collected used plastic, clothes, old books and footwears. Women SHGs groups have also been engaged to make bags out of the used clothes that are being donated by the citizens. Citizens from Kerala’s Kozhikode, Khowai from Tripura, Dhuri in Punjab, Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra, Margaon in Goa and many more are all seen contributes unused items to RRR Centres.

Not just this Navi Mumbai citizens have also got a first of its kind Recycle Mart in association with D-Mart, where daily used items deemed trash, can be traded to earn redeemable coupons at D-Mart for daily shopping needs. In Panvel, Citizens have generously donated 25 kgs old shoes and chappals. A few unique and innovative initiatives are also making Meri LiFE, Mera Swachha Shehar campaign an interesting one. School students from Manesar participated in a painting competition and painted walls and old tyres on the theme of RRR. Manesar citizens even formed a human chain to push for RRR. Pune’s Pimpri-Chinchwad made their RRR Centre out of waste materials.

Citizens, volunteers, RWA members, SHG groups, TULIP Interns have all joined in action to truly make swachh shehar. Indeed a unique way to push for RRR!

********

RJ