'Swachhta Pakhwara' is being observed all over Indian Railways from 16th to 30th September 2020. During the inaugural day of Pakhwara, Swachhta pledge was administered to Railway employees at all Zonal Railway HQs, Divisional Offices and other establishments. During the Pakhwara, intensive cleaning and sanitization of stations, trains, tracks, colonies and other railway establishments is being carried out with special focus on plastic waste management. Masks, sanitisers are also being distributed. Use of IEC to create awareness for keeping the railway premises clean and safe including Covid-19 related precautions and webinars are also being organized. During this period, Railways will focus efforts on cleanliness of tracks, stations, drains, toilets, yards, depots etc.

Railway Board through Northern Railway, in partnership with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), organised a webinar on “Swachhata and Environment” on 16.9.2020. Owing to the Covid pandemic,  Webinar was held to flag off the “Swachhata Pakhwada” beginning from September 16 and ending on September 30, 2020 virtually.

During the webinar, speakers of repute and experts on environment from various government, private and non-governmental organisations addressed the participants. More than 100 officers from various departments of Indian Railways attended the Webinar. Issues highlighted during the session included :

•           Steps taken by Indian Railways for proper solid waste management, saving of water and conservation of energy etc.

•           Convergence of IR initiatives with Swachh Bharat Mission.

•           Green Rating of Railway Stations.

•           Combating plastic waste.

•           Perspectives on circular economy.

Speakers who addressed the participants included Shri Arun Arora, Principal Chief Mechanical Engineer, Northern Railway, Shri Atul Bagai, Country Head UNEP India office, Ms.  Dia Mirza, UNEP Goodwill Ambassador,

Mr. Afroz Shah, Advocate& UNEP Champion of the Earth, Shri Naveen Agarwal, Director SBM, Ministry of Housing & Urban affairs.

Dr. Prasad Modak, Founder, Environmental Management Centre, Mr. K.S. Venkatgiri, Executive Director CII GBC,

Ms.  Chitra Mukherjee from Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group, Shri Biju Dominic, Chairman, Final Mile Consulting.

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DJN/MKV