‘Working Late Into The Night’: Swachhta Doots Go Beyond Call Of Duty To Ensure Clean Kumbh

Swacchta doots (messengers of cleanliness) have been tasked with ensuring that the Kumbh Mela taking place in Prayagraj is a clean and green event.

Ravi Kumar, a swachhta doot, has been quoted by Business Standard as saying, “For the last one month or so, I along with 11 others are engaged in keeping the Kumbh Mela premises clean. We ensure cleanliness in and around a few eateries set up in the Arail area of the city. Our main job is to ensure there is no littering in the mela area.”

The volunteer works for about 12 hours a day, putting in additional efforts during major bathing days when the number of devotees skyrockets. Normally, they are expected to work just eight hours a day.

To avoid open defecation at the mela, more than a lakh of toilets have been constructed. As many as 20,000 dustbins have been installed for solid waste collection with 15,000 sanitation workers working day and night. Additionally, 40 compactors and 120 tippers are helping in disposing the waste.

As many as 2,000 foot soldiers or Ganga Praharis have been deployed to keep the premises clean, and have been provided with an identity card each. The installation of LED lights has made their task easier, a member says.

Volunteer Raj Karan says, “At times, we hear from visitors that the Kumbh Mela this year is cleaner than those in previous years. It makes us happy and satisfied that people are liking our work,” the report said.