Key Highlights

  • The drive: Dharmendra Pradhan launched a cleanliness drive in Sambalpur under ‘Swachhata Hi Seva 2026’.
  • Scale: Nearly one lakh people took part at 500 locations across the district, starting 6:30 am.
  • On the ground: Pradhan swept the stretch from Laxmi Talkies Square to Gol Bazar.
  • The warning: He flagged widespread single-use plastic as a serious environmental threat.
  • Campaign: Part of the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan.

Former Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan picked up a broom in Sambalpur on Saturday to launch a district-wide cleanliness drive under the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva 2026’ campaign, part of the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan.

The drive began at 6:30 am at 500 locations across Sambalpur district, including areas under the Sambalpur Municipal Corporation. Nearly one lakh people joined in, along with the District Collector, the DIG, the Superintendent of Police, the Municipal Commissioner and voluntary organisations. Pradhan himself cleaned the stretch from Laxmi Talkies Square to Gol Bazar.

“Cleanliness Is Service”

“Cleanliness is service. This is a very important campaign,” Pradhan said. “This is a sign of cleanliness, a way of living a disciplined life, and we should adopt it.”

He urged people to extend cleanliness beyond their homes to neighbourhoods and public spaces.

Why It Matters: The Plastic Problem

The most important message of the day was not about sweeping. Pradhan raised concern about the heavy use of single-use plastic in Sambalpur, warning that it seriously harms the environment, and that harming the environment ultimately harms society itself.

That points to a deeper truth about cleanliness drives: a single morning can clear streets, but without changing daily habits, especially plastic use, the waste returns. The campaign aims to turn cleanliness into a regular practice rather than a one-day event.

Simple Ways to Cut Single-Use Plastic

  • Carry a cloth bag for shopping.
  • Use a reusable water bottle.
  • Say no to plastic straws and disposable cutlery.
  • Segregate wet and dry waste at home.

The Bottom Line

Sambalpur showed what one lakh people can do in a morning. Keeping it clean, as Pradhan stressed, will depend on what they do every day after.

With inputs from IANS.