As a resident of Mumbai city, Aamir Khan knows only too well that cleanliness and waste management is a major issue for urban dwellers. The actor has recently launched ‘Waste Free Jodhpur’ a project for which he pledged unequivocal support and a donation of Rs 11 lacs. ‘I wish I could launch such a drive in Mumbai, but I am happy that Jodhpur took this initiative and expressed its determination to deal with one of the biggest menaces of the urban India’, Khan said.
Aamir had taken up the issue of waste management in one of the episodes of his widely popular TV Show Satyamev Jayate. The episode examined how waste is produced, how it can be converted into a useful resource. It also looked at how people are making a difference and introduced ‘waste warriors’ to the audience. Aamir pointed out that Hindi films invariably turn to foreign locales to shoot picturesque scenes simply because of the cleanliness there that make environments so attractive. He also spoke of the paradox of a people who choose to bathe at least once a day and who sweep and swab religiously but pay no heed to the cleanliness of our surroundings.
And so the Jodhpur administration reached out to him suggesting the clean up project which was announced by Aamir on Independence Day. ‘There will be hurdles but this fight has to be won and there cannot be any better occasion than the Independence Day that we exhibited determination to get freedom from waste,’ Khan said.
The Jodhpur Municipal Corporation and the city administration have set a target of 18 months to make the city garbage-free. Aamir Khan administered a pledge of ‘clean & green’ Jodhpur to the audience and flagged off a fleet of battery operated rickshaws, which has been put together to cover the length & breadth of the city and collect the garbage. To make sure that the project is seamless and effective, an expert agency form Hyderabad has also been roped in.
Khan also expressed desire to associate with the drive in a bigger way that it may be replicated in other cities. Here’s hoping for a large scale, quick to effect, nation-wide clean up drive!
