Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG), its attached offices and Oil & Gas CPSEs under the administrative control of MoPNG celebrated Swachhta Pakhwada fortnight with full zeal from 16th July 2017 – 31st July, 2017. 

A kick-off meeting to review the Swachhta Pakhwada action plan of MoPNG, its attached offices and CPSEs under administrative control of MoPNG was held on 12.07.2017 in which it was advised to move beyond symbolism and go to the next level in implementation of Swachhta Pakhwada in 2017 and strive to make it a Jan Andolan. A mid-fortnight review of Swachhta Pakhwada activities undertaken and activities planned for remaining period of Pakhwada fortnight was taken by Secretary (PNG) Shri K.D. Tripathi on 21.07.2017. 

The focus during Swachhta Pakhwada was not only to garner people’s involvement but also to bring about behavioural and attitudinal change through innovative activities so that the ultimate goals of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan could be achieved and sustained. Under Swachhta Pakhwada, a pledge was administered by Secretary (PNG) Shri K.D. Tripathi for creating awareness towards importance of cleanliness at the workplace to the Officers and staff of the Ministry on 25.7.2017. Towards creating awareness, MoPNG organized a painting competition for the families of officers/staff, slogan writing competition on “Cleanliness & me” and an essay writing competition on “Swachhta Shapath Aur Mera Yogdan”. A special drive was undertaken wherein Ministry scanned approximately 17800 files and has migrated around 14681 files to the e-office mode. This was in addition to activities like undertaking cleaning of office premises, toilets & washrooms, providing dustbins in all sections, weeding out of old files/records/un serviceable articles. 

Innovation and sustainability being the major focus area, select important initiatives/activities carried out by Ministry of P&NG, attached offices & its Oil & Gas CPSEs, focusing on the same during Swachhta Pakhwada are as under: 

• Launch of inter-refinery competition based on Swachhta Index calculated keeping in view various parameters linked to cleanliness, wherein a team consisting of MoPNG official and OMCs would visit different refinery complexes to arrive at inter refinery ranking. 

• Project Saraswati was launched by signing an agreement with Haryana Saraswati Heritage Development & WAPCOS; this has been to tap the ground water resources along the course of Paleo-channel of river Saraswati in Haryana to tide over severe water crisis in summer. 

• ‘Cleanathon Himalaya’ aimed at cleaning River Ganga and its source by collecting garbage from higher reaches glaciers and its tributaries was launched by signing an agreement with Indian Mountaineering Federation. 

• Making Children with special needs & eminent sportsperson as brand ambassadors spreading awareness under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. 

• Construction of unique zero energy based vegetable cellars in Nang village near Leh for helping potato farmers by preventing rotting of farm produce due to extreme temperatures. 

• Installation of sanitary napkin vending machines in schools, distribution of hygiene kits & sanitary napkins to rural, under privilege & differently abled girls. 

• Health checkup camps for Safai Sathis, Tree Plantation drives at various places. 

• Cleanliness cum awareness drive at Swachh Iconic Places (Kamakhya temple, Golden Temple etc.). 

• Cyclothons/Walkathons, special drives for truck driver crews, Shramdaan, Swachhta Raths, essay/ drawing /slogan /quiz / swachhta application development/ waste to wealth competitions, plays/skits, etc., were organized to create and enhance awareness about Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. 

• Construction of eco friendly, organic & non polluting bio toilets in school/public places. 

• Making selected/adopted villages 100% open defection free by providing individual household toilets and many public toilets. 

• Launch of Inter-Gram Panchayat Swachhta Competition based on parameters like cleanliness of Government installations, households, streets & waste management. 

• Swachhta award distribution. 

MoPNG has uploaded date wise Swachhta Pakhwada activities along with photographs on ‘Swachhta Samiksha” portal of Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation (MoDW&S) in addition to video clips capturing innovative activities undertaken in the Swachhta Pakhwada fortnight. 

KM/SA 

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