Students involved in the cleanliness drive “Swachhata Hi Seva – Swabhav Swachhata and Sanskaar Swachhata,” along with large-scale single use plastic waste collection for recycling
On the eve of Gandhi Jayanti and Swachh Bharat Diwas, on October 1, 2024, Social Development for Communities (SDC) Foundation, which works on environmental issues, sustainable urbanization, waste management, and various societal challenges in Uttarakhand, organized special programs in various locations across Dehradun. These programs were part of the “Swachhata Pakhwada” and focused on the theme of “Swabhav Swachhata and Sanskaar Swachhata” The primary goal was to raise awareness among society, particularly students, about waste management and to collect plastic waste on a large scale for recycling.
As part of this collective initiative, waste management centric awareness programs were organized in 40 schools across Dehradun, including at the main post office (GPO), Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), and other institutions. Large-scale single use plastic waste collection was also conducted for recycling purposes. Students and community members were educated on the harmful effects of plastic waste. Special discussions were held with school management and students on using plastic alternatives and adopting proper waste management practices. The program was successfully executed with the active participation of students, local communities, and institutions.
Students and teachers who participated in the program shared their thoughts on the importance of cleanliness and pledged to fulfill their responsibilities in maintaining cleanliness in their respective areas. A “Cleanliness Pledge” was also taken at several locations, where participants committed to keeping their surroundings clean.
In his address, Dinesh Semwal of SDC Foundation mentioned that the organization has established 210 Plastic Banks in Dehradun over the past 11 months through the “Plastic Bank Project.” He shared his experiences and highlighted that SDC Foundation currently operates these Plastic Banks in collaboration with 69 Maggi Points on the Dehradun-Kimadi-Mussoorie route, 64 schools, 40 hostels, 9 universities and colleges, 7 Resident Welfare Associations, 7 showrooms, and other institutions, impacting over 80,000 individuals in Dehradun.
Praveen Upreti of SDC Foundation emphasized that cleanliness is not just an individual responsibility but the result of collective efforts. He urged everyone to take action to keep society and the environment safe and healthy. He also shared that SDC Foundation aims to establish 300 Plastic Banks in Dehradun, working with around 100,000 students and community members to manage plastic waste in the coming days.
Through this collective campaign, SDC Foundation conveyed the message that plastic waste should not be seen merely as a problem but as an issue that needs to be addressed. This initiative is a step towards transforming the concept of the Swachh Bharat Mission into a social movement.
The members of SDC Foundation expressed their gratitude to all the local residents, students, and institutions who actively participated and made this campaign a success. They hoped that similar programs would continue to promote cleanliness and spread awareness in society.
Several schools and institutions, including Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Guru Nanak Public School, Vidya Sthal Children’s Modern Academy, Montessori School, Mahavir Jain Kanya Inter College, Bhavani Balika Inter College, GGIC Rajpur Road, GGIC Lakhi Bagh, SGRR Racecourse, Mount Fort Academy, BS Negi Polytechnic, GGIC Kaulagarh, and many more, participated in SDC Foundation’s Swachh Bharat Diwas program.
