DDA conducts month-long Swachhata Hi Seva campaign across its parks, green spaces and sports complexes

The campaign focuses on special initiatives like Children to the Green - Learn, Care & Participate', Bin Before Overflow and Capitals Promise, along with cleanliness and environmental awareness activities. Special cleanliness drives also include Sports Complexes and their facilities, from which approximately 2.5 tonnes of waste have been collected, said a release.

The campaign promotes Jan Bhagidari through the participation of RWAs, students, children, park users and people associated with public spaces.

The campaign commenced on 17 September 2026 in the spirit of the Swachhta Hi Seva 2026 and continues with a series of cleanliness, sanitation, plantation, awareness and public participation activities. DDA officials and staff, along with 75 RWAs, students, children, park users and people associated with public spaces, are participating in activities aimed at improving the cleanliness and upkeep of these facilities.

Highlighting the importance of public participation in the Swachh Bharat Mission, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, Swachh Bharat is the worlds largest and most successful people-led, people-driven public movement of this century. He has also emphasised, somewhere it starts with a single individual, other people join in, and the movement grows - this is precisely what 'Jan-Bhagidari' is all about.

The campaign includes three special initiatives. The Children to the Green - Learn, Care & Participate involves children and students in cleanliness and environmental awareness activities and encourages them to develop a sense of responsibility towards parks, trees and natural resources. It aims to encourage young participants to become active contributors to a culture of cleanliness and environmental care.

The Bin Before Overflow initiative focuses on regular monitoring and timely emptying of dustbins in parks. The initiative seeks to prevent overflowing bins, littering and unhygienic conditions, while encouraging greater attention towards everyday cleanliness in public spaces.

Under the Capitals Promise initiative, special attention is being given to the cleanliness and upkeep of public toilet facilities in and around recreational areas, with the objective of promoting better public hygiene and sanitation.

The campaign also includes plantation of native tree species and environmental awareness activities. These initiatives support the objective of strengthening Delhis green cover, promoting biodiversity and improving the ecological quality of public spaces. Awareness activities focus on proper waste disposal, prevention of littering, protection of trees and plantations, personal hygiene and responsible use of public facilities.

Jan Bhagidari remains an important part of the campaign. Participation of RWAs, students, children, park users and people associated with local communities highlights the role of the public in maintaining shared spaces. The campaign seeks to encourage a sense of ownership so that cleanliness and responsible use of public spaces continue beyond the campaign period. DDA also encourages people to use designated dustbins, avoid littering, protect plantations and landscaped areas, use public facilities responsibly and report sanitation or maintenance-related issues to the concerned authorities.

The cleanliness drive has been carried out in Saket Sports Complex, Netaji Subhash Sports Complex, Squash and Badminton Stadium, Hari Nagar Sports Complex, Paschim Vihar Sports Complex, Dwarka Sports Complexes in Sectors 11 and 17, Major Dhyan Chand Sports Complex, Rashtriya Swabhiman Khel Parisar, Poorv Delhi Khel Parisar, Chilla Sports Complex, Yamuna Sports Complex, Qutab Golf Course and DDA Lake View Golf Course. Activities included cleaning and sanitation work of sports and recreational facilities, parking areas, green spaces, and other public-use areas, along with upkeep of landscaped areas.

Approximately 2.5 tonnes of waste were collected during the drive from the sports complexes. As part of the effort to promote a cleaner campus, single-use plastic bottles were prohibited, and water dispensers and steel dustbins were installed. New twin dustbins in green and blue were also installed to facilitate segregation of wet and dry waste, along with anti-littering signage.

The Swachhata campaign reinforces the message that cleanliness and greenery are a shared responsibility; therefore, clean and healthy public spaces require continuous cooperation between DDA and the community. While DDA undertakes regular public-space maintenance and cleanliness activities, people's participation remains important for sustaining these efforts.

Through these efforts, DDA remains committed to sustained cleanliness, environmental improvement and better upkeep of its parks, green spaces and recreational facilities. The Authority will continue to undertake such initiatives while encouraging greater public participation to build cleaner, greener and healthier public spaces across Delhi. (ANI)