SP Singh began his mission to clean Agra, the day he was appointed as the service manager there. He started by cleaning his own office. Instead of appointing cleaners, he took a broom and got to work.
The people of Agra, Uttar Pradesh, have found an inspirational leader who is heading cleanliness drives in the city. In offices and on roads, you may spot him with a broom in his hand, sweeping the place clean. Often, officers and labourers can be seen cleaning the place alongside their leader.
No, Shachindra Pratap Singh is not commissioned to work or clean public areas–rather, he is the Regional Service Manager (Roadways) of Agra!
Speaking to Navbharat Times, the RSM said that he began his mission to clean Agra, the day he was appointed as the service manager there.
He started by cleaning his own office. Instead of appointing cleaners, he took a broom and got to work.
Far from getting inspired, his co-workers had initially ridiculed him. But Singh was not one to be stopped by a few jibes. He kept cleaning the office, day after day.
Soon, his staff realised where they had gone wrong and they too, joined him in the cleanliness drives in their offices. “This way, my journey of cleanliness left the office and was expanded from workshops, buses, bus depots to various districts of Uttar Pradesh. It is an ever-expanding mission,” he said.
He started keeping brooms in his car so that whenever he saw an unclean spot on the road, he could spring into action.
He has even started a Facebook group to involve like-minded people in the state to join him in his cleanliness mission.
The group already has over 3,000 members not just from India, but also from Germany, Switzerland and Tanzania, who contribute to the cause in their capacity–by donating brooms or money, or getting involved in cleaning the state personally.
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Being an administrator in the roadways department, Singh has taken a personal interest in showing that cleanliness must not begin with commissioned cleaners and shouldn’t stop with authority. Twice every week, he runs a special workshop in the bus depots under his jurisdiction, so that drivers, conductors and officials take responsibility to keep their premises clean. He told NT that after attending these workshops, drivers and conductors now get brooms and clean their buses when they are stationed at the depots, without waiting for cleaners.
Aptly called the “Messenger of Cleanliness”, SP Singh is showing that cleanliness need not be a duty of cleaners and workers alone. Rather, it could be a responsibility we all undertake–in our homes, offices, streets and cities–than simply complain about the filth around us!
(Edited by Shruti Singhal)
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