The Plogging Challenge in Guwahati initiated by Oil India Limited as part of the Swacchata Pakhwada under Swachh Bharat Mission is becoming quite popular with around 120 registered participants till date and rising.
Enthusiastic participants from all across the city can be seen, especially in the morning, picking & collecting littered trash from their surrounding areas and disposing them properly in nearby dustbins. These participants can be seen either walking or running or cycling. Shri Ashok Das Executive Director ( HR), OIL remarked that “Even though people had been plogging in the city since some time, this plogging challenge has actually managed to motivate people to come out dedicatedly and regularly to clean up their city while at the same time taking care of their health. This initiative by Oil India Limited is a recognition of the efforts put in by responsible citizens to keep their city clean.”
As of 9th July there are 17 participants who have chosen walking as their preferred activity, 27 participants have chosen to run and 77 participants have chosen to ride their cycles for to undertake plogging. Among the 121 participants 17 participants are between the age of 12 to 18 and are called the juniors while 104 are seniors who are aged above 18.
Shri SandipGoswami, Chief General Manager , Pipeline Sphere said that the Plogging Challenge in Guwahati has bought in a fresh perspective to the awareness drive of the SwachhataPakhwada program as a whole and has made in roads in the minds of the youth regarding the necessity of keeping the city clean and green. To encourage people to take part in the plogging challenge 4 well known fitness and sports enthusiasts of Guwahati have been roped in as Ambassadors. The four are Ms. SagarikaBhagawati – a long distance runner, Ms. RatnamalaSarma – a professor and an active cyclist, Mr. BubulKhanikar – an entrepreneur and marathon runner and Mr. Malav Dutta as Junior Ambassador – a two time National medal winning mountain biker.
Ms. Sagarika says – Even though the whole campaign has been designed as a challenge it is more about participation and people should register to take part as per their convenience – weather it is for 1 day or 10 days does not matter. Mr. Bubul says – Each person participating in the plogging challenge can motivate 10 more persons simply by their action of cleaning up their surroundings. Ms. Ratnamala have urged people to take part in the challenge and make it a habit so that it can carried beyond the last date of the challenge. Mr. Malav says – it is a great opportunity for the youth to show their responsibility towards their city.
To take part in this challenge one has to first register for it and follow the process mentioned in the link below https://www.pedalforachange.org/plogging. This event is being managed by a Guwahati based social enterprise called Pedal for a Change.
Participants are urged to follow all covid guideline and undertake their plogging activities only during the non-curfew hours i.e between 5am to 5am.
