Empowering Youth for a Cleaner India

Manipur’s Chief Minister, N Biren Singh, inaugurated the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign in the state.

The Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban has gained fresh momentum with the active participation of over 4,000 cities in the second edition of the Indian Swachhata League (ISL).

ISL represents a unique youth-led, inter-city initiative aimed at encouraging young people to engage in cleanliness-related activities.

The ISL Initiative

As part of ISL, city teams are fervently dedicating their efforts to clean beaches, tourist spots, and hills, acting as champions of cleanliness.

The inaugural edition of ISL in 2022, under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U), was a resounding success, with nearly 50,000 volunteers uniting to eliminate garbage from our cities.

Celebrating Cleanliness

Swachhata Pakhwada — Swachhata Hi Seva 2023, is being observed from September 15 to October 2, coinciding with Swachh Bharat Diwas, celebrated on Mahatma Gandhi’s Jayanti.

ISL, SafaiMitra Suraksha Shivir, and Swachhata Diwas are key campaigns during Swachhata Pakhwada.

City Teams and Champions

Cities have adopted interesting names for their ISL 2.0 teams, selecting team captains and ambassadors, including renowned figures like ace shuttler PV Sindhu, environmentalist Ripudaman Bevli, activist Swastika Gosh, and community leader Ramveer Tanwar.

Defending champions, such as Chandigarh Challengers, Hunsur Heroes, Viktamasingapuram, Dandeli Swachhta Warriors, Kushtagi Champions, and Arsikere Army, were among the first teams to register.

Cleanliness Initiatives

Cities have been actively engaging in cleanliness activities and have adorned their surroundings with beautiful murals. They have formed human chains and created various artistic formations in line with the theme of ISL 2.0 and the ‘Jan Andolan’ for Swachhata.

In Bhopal, Yoga Day was celebrated at a location that was once a dumpsite. Citizen representatives, NCC cadets, scouts, guides, and others came together to commemorate Yoga Day in this transformed and clean environment.

Approximately 4,000 children in Karnataka’s Davanagere participated in an event to create a map of India. Chandigarh Challengers, the defending champions, organized a single-use plastic-free Maha langar to feed 10,000 people. In Alleppey, a water procession called ‘Save the Lake’ was organized to clean the lakes.

Leadership and Encouragement

Chief Ministers from various states have joined the fervor, encouraging citizens to participate in the Jan Andolan for Swachhata.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath felicitated five SafaiMitras as part of Swachhata Hi Seva and distributed ISL 2.0 t-shirts and caps.

Manipur’s Chief Minister, N Biren Singh, inaugurated the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign in Manipur, urging every citizen to contribute to the Swachh Bharat cause.

Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, launched the Indian Swachhata League by hoisting the green flag at the ‘Swachhata League Marathon,’ which featured distances of 10, 5, and 2 kilometers.