In a landmark environmental initiative, Nuapada district in Odisha has entered the national record books by executing India’s largest single-day cleanliness and plantation drive. Held earlier this week, the massive campaign mobilized 1.42 lakh participants across 3,214 locations within a concentrated two-hour window from 8 AM to 10 AM.
The record-setting event saw the collection of 32.52 tonnes of plastic waste and the plantation of over 1.02 lakh saplings, reinforcing the district’s commitment to sustainability and cleanliness. Participants included government employees, school and college students, members of self-help groups, legal and healthcare workers, NGOs, businesses, and faith-based organizations.
This campaign is a follow-up to Nuapada’s declaration as Odisha’s first and India’s sixth district to be free of single-use plastic, an announcement made on World Environment Day. Since then, over 700 related activities have been undertaken, including the establishment of plastic waste management units and extensive plantation programs aimed at creating green buffer zones.
The campaign was monitored by a 12-member UNICEF team, including experts from the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) program, ensuring accountability and documentation of this historic effort.
Targeting more than 3,200 vulnerable garbage points, the initiative is being hailed as one of the most ambitious community-driven environmental campaigns in India. It not only sets a precedent for other districts but also showcases Nuapada’s leadership in grassroots climate action and citizen-led ecological stewardship.
This monumental effort marks a turning point in local-level sustainability leadership, aligning with national goals for a cleaner, greener India.
