The country has witnessed many kinds of leagues from cricket to kabaddi. Today has been a league with a difference – The Indian Swachhata League – an inter-city competition ‘played’ on the parameters of swachhata powered by the youth of the city. The first edition of the ISL witnessed a record of sorts with more than half a million youth joining hands for clean beaches, hills and tourist spots. The Indian Swachhata League kick starts the Swachh Amrit Mahotsav, a fortnight of activities to galvanize action around swachhata from 17^th Sept. 2022, Seva Diwas, till 2^nd Oct. 2022, Gandhi Jayanti.

The day began with whole-hearted participation and presence of highly motivated youth teams carrying with pride their own team identity.  Teams of Puri Saviours, Aizwal Clean Avengers, Gazab Ghaziabad, Swachhata Warriors, Swachh Vishakha Warriors, Bemisal Bhopal, Swachhata Warriors Jhansi represented their cities in cleanliness displayed the passion to achieve the vision of Garbage Free Cities.

Cricketer Kuldeep Sen, actors like Rahul Dev, Mughda Godse and veteran actor Jeetender, plogger Ripu Daman Bevli joined the movement supporting their city teams. Trap shooter R. Prithviraj Tondaiman, the ambassador of Trichy Rockers led from the front to keep his city clean.

Notwithstanding the showers of rain that many cities experienced, the million plus strong youth participation drew the presence of various prominent leaders, citizens, local influencers.  While Chandigarh Challengers started the activity with a message Har Din, Chaar Bin! by forming the largest human chain in the history of the city to advocate the use of four bins for improved waste segregation at source at the famous Rose Garden, Rajkot carried out a ‘Fun Run & Youth Run’ drive for citizens of all age group to support the Swachhata mission. While Deputy CM of Mizoram Pu Tawnluia flagged off the youth rally of team Aizwal Clean Avengers to clean locations at Sakawrhmuituai Tlang, Muthi Prayer Mountain and Hlimen Park. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami joined the team of 2000 plus youth to win the battle against garbage in Dheradun. The Children’s Academy school of Malad cleaned the Aksa Beach in Mumbai, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) team cleaned the famous Hanuman Mandir, whereas the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) team was involved in cleaning locations at Qutub Minar, Akshardham Temple and Bharat Darshan Park. Gazab Ghaziabad team started rejuvenating Lake Makanpur with a goal to make it a tourist spot, which was a garbage dumping site. Team Swachhata Warriors in Jhansi moved on foot to clean Quila Gate as well as Aatiya Talaab. Malvan Warriors tried to make their beaches clean, Team Puri Saviours involved itself in mass-plogging drive to clean Puri beach.

The best teams of this youth-led competition will be chosen by an independent process involving jury members of national repute. The evaluation will be on the basis of scale of participation, uniqueness of the activity, and impact of cleanliness initiatives. It is expected that the mission will trigger participation of youth by indulging in action for sanitation, waste management and the impact of cleanliness drive.

 

RKJ/M

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