Punjab: The man leading the cleanliness drive is inspiring change in the entire city

Punjab: A simple but powerful message is slowly changing Hoshiarpur residents’ attitude towards cleanliness, thanks to Rajinder Singh Hargarhia, a determined social worker on a mission to make his city clean, one spot at a time. For the past six years, Rajinder has been standing at garbage dumps, holding a placard and urging the authorities to take action. What started as a solo protest has now turned into a massive movement that has inspired residents, students and even government officials to take responsibility for cleaning the city. “When I first started, I knew I couldn’t clean the entire city alone, but I believed that by standing at the dirtiest spots, I could force people to see what was wrong,” says Rajinder, 50.

His strategy has proven effective. “There has been a real change in places notorious for garbage heaps such as Naloian Chowk, Phagwara Road railway crossing and areas near Government College. I didn’t clean these places myself. I just stood there, holding a placard that read, ‘Let’s make Hoshiarpur the most beautiful place.’ The authorities were forced to take notice,” he explains. Over time, the same places became cleaner and greener, as local authorities were forced to take action. Rajinder’s efforts have received praise from various quarters, including local government minister Ravjot Singh, philanthropist S P Singh Oberoi and several NGOs. The district administration and the Punjab government have also recognised his perseverance, and formal plans for collaboration to bring about more sweeping changes in Hoshiarpur are now in progress. “It’s not about me. It’s about inspiring people to think differently and take responsibility for their surroundings,” he says.

Rajinder’s influence has grown steadily, and now, when problems with garbage crop up in the city, residents often approach him instead of the municipal corporation. He attributes the inspiration for his mission to friends living abroad who would often talk about the cleanliness they saw in foreign cities. “That was a turning point for me,” Rajinder recalls. “I realised we can do the same, but only if we change the way we think about our environment.” Apart from his cleanliness drive, Rajinder is also organising blood donation camps and motivating youngsters to contribute to society. However, his ultimate goal is clear: to make Hoshiarpur the cleanest city in India. “I won’t stop until we see that happen. It’s more than cleanliness – it’s about changing attitudes and creating a city we can all be proud of,” he says.