Nuapada, (OT Webdesk)– In a sweeping demonstration of grassroots environmental activism, the Nuapada district has set a new national benchmark by executing India’s largest single-day cleanliness and plantation drive.
The campaign, launched earlier this week between 8 AM and 10 AM, engaged over 1.42 lakh participants across 3,214 locations in the district.
Volunteers from diverse walks of life—including students, SHG members, government officials, health and legal professionals, NGOs, businesses, and faith-based organisations—united in this ambitious initiative.
Together, they collected 32.52 tonnes of plastic waste and planted over 1.02 lakh saplings in a remarkable two-hour window.
The drive follows Nuapada’s milestone declaration as Odisha’s first and India’s sixth district to be free of single-use plastic, announced on World Environment Day.
Since then, the district has spearheaded over 700 eco-focused activities aimed at deepening its sustainability commitment, such as setting up plastic waste management units and expanding green buffer zones.
Transparency and accountability were key priorities, with oversight provided by a 12-member UNICEF team from the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) program.
Their presence ensured rigorous documentation across thousands of vulnerable garbage hotspots targeted during the event.
Officials and observers alike hailed the effort as one of India’s most ambitious community-driven environmental campaigns, positioning Nuapada as a template for local-level climate leadership.
The scale, coordination, and impact of the campaign signal a turning point in citizen-led sustainability movements, firmly aligning with national ambitions for a cleaner, greener India.
