Municipal corps to hold plogging drives around October 2

‘Plogging’ is a Swedish concept and a unique form of exercise that combines ‘jogging’ with collecting bits of garbage. Originating in Scandinavian countries such as Norway and Denmark in 2016, it has become popular in Europe, USA and Malaysia.

In view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to make India free of single-use plastic, the three municipal corporations of Delhi are planning large-scale ‘plogging’ drives across the city around October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Every year, the government of India celebrates the period between September 11 and October 27 as ‘Swachhta Hi Seva’ with October 2 being the high point. (Raj K Raj/HT PHOTO)

‘Plogging’ is a Swedish concept and a unique form of exercise that combines ‘jogging’ with collecting bits of garbage. Originating in Scandinavian countries such as Norway and Denmark in 2016, it has become popular in Europe, USA and Malaysia.

Tonnes of cigarette packets, chocolate and chips wrappers have been scooped up from towns and cities by diligent citizens through plogging.

Every year, the government of India celebrates the period between September 11 and October 27 as ‘Swachhta Hi Seva’ with October 2 being the high point. A series of instructions are sent to all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) on achieving targets like Open Defecation Free (ODF) villages and cities.

This time, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has directed the three municipal corporations to follow the PM’s appeal for single use-plastic free India in his Independence Day speech and conduct massive plogging drives.

A letter sent by the MoHUA secretary, Durga Shanker Mishra, on August 26 (Monday) to the civic bodies asks them to “engage citizens, NGOs, government officials, corporates and students in large-scale plastic waste collection and disposal drives.” It should also result in “visible reduction of plastic waste in the civic bodies’ respective areas,” the letter says.

Also, details of the drives -- such as photographs and videos of plogging, number of citizens participated and amount of plastic waste collected and recycled -- have to be mandatorily uploaded on the Swachh Manch portal of Government of India.

“The participation of the civic bodies, along with level of citizen engagement, will figure prominently in Swachh Survekshan 2020 assessment framework,” the letter says.

The north civic body has earmarked several parks, roads and markets for the plogging drive, its chairperson Jai Prakash said. “The Japanese Park in Rohini, Monta Park on Rajpur Road, Sadar Bazar and Chandni Chowk market, area around Naini Lake of Model Town are the places we are considering for the plogging drive,” said Jai Prakash.

South Delhi will hold at least one such session in Lodhi Garden, its chairperson, Bhupender Gupta said.