SMVDU Katra: Swachhata Pakhwada concluded at SMVD University on 17-09-2017 with Clean Campus Day under the guidance of Dr. Varun K. Tripathi Nodal Officer, Swachha Bharat Abhiyaan and Mr. Sumanta S. Sharma Program Coordinator NSS. In the last two weeks, more than ten events were organized by NSS wing. Swachhata Pakhwada 2017, which is a Government of India initiative for spreading the message of cleanliness and working for it was scheduled from 01-09-2017 to 15-09-2017. However, due to minor examinations going on in the University, it was rescheduled up to 17-09-2017. A briefing session was organized on 04-09-2017 to introduce and explain the meaning of Swachhata Pakhwada to NSS coordinators and volunteers. Thereafter, an Essay Competition on “Innovative ways for spreading the message of hygiene” was organized. Around 50 students participated in it. Furthermore, Clean Surroundings Day event (Road leading to the Institution) was conducted, where more than 50 students participated in cleaning various roads just outside the university. In the next part, under the head of Care for Surroundings Day which included Study of garbage cleaning systems in public spaces and Visit to markets nearby to study the system of cleaning, a survey was conducted. In this, more than 150 students participated and used survey sheets and questionnaires for collecting data and also explained the notion of cleanliness to the villagers.

On the penultimate day, NSS coordinated three events simultaneously, namely Clean Mess Day, Clean Hostel Day and Cleanest Hostel Room Contest. Students cleaned the common areas of Hostel and Mess in their respective hostels for Clean Hostel and Mess Day events. In addition to this, some of them participated in Cleanest Hostel Room contest where they showcased their own rooms to the coordinators of the event for judgment. The mega episode of the fortnight series of event was Clean Campus Day scheduled on 17-09-2017. Students assembled at the common place at 10 am where they were divided into several groups. Each group was assigned an area to clean under the supervision of a student NSS coordinator. They were provided with gloves, masks, brooms, mops, etc. for cleaning. Students actively participated showing immense zeal and dedication for the event which went on for more than two hours. In the end, they were provided with refreshments. Along with this, another parallel event took place wherein a group of students visited a nearby Orphanage DISHA located in Katra. Here, they interacted with more than 30 students and distributed copies, pencils, pens and erasers to each of them. They were also encouraged to keep their vicinity clean. The bi-weekly event closed with a vote of thanks proposed by Mr. Sumanta S. Sharma (Faculty Coordinator of NSS SMVD University) to more than 300 students who participated as volunteers and coordinators for various events. The student coordinators of the events were, Mr. Ajit Kumar, Mr. Akhil Kalsi, Mr. Dhanraj Singh, Mr. Aman Agrawal, Ms. Neha Sharma, Ms. Medha, Ms. Shubhangi Suri, Ms. MaihakPandita, Ms. SimranChoudhary, Ms. Mansi Mattoo, Ms. Guneet Kour, Mr. Anand Bharti, Mr. Raju Kumar, Ms. Mithali Bhat and Ms. Shreya Pandita. Vice Chancellor Prof. Sanjeev Jain has expressed his happiness and satisfaction over the conduct of Swachhata Pakhwada and desired that more initiatives amalgamating health, hygiene and cleanliness must be taken in the campus.