In a distinctive initiative that turned the spirit of social responsibility into action, ‘Nitin De Saathi’ organised ‘Trash-a-thon: The Morning After Dussehra’ at Adarsh Nagar Park, near Chaupati, Jalandhar, on Wednesday. Led by AAP Jalandhar Central Halka In-charge Nitin Kohli, the initiative brought together young volunteers and local residents to clean public spaces and promote plantation, delivering a simple but powerful message: if we want cleaner cities, we must take responsibility instead of waiting for someone else to act.
Moving beyond routine awareness campaigns, the initiative encouraged participants to step forward and contribute directly to their surroundings. The effort stood out for its unique concept of bringing people together the morning after Dussehra, turning a major festival’s aftermath into an opportunity for civic action and environmental responsibility.
People who regularly visit the park for morning walks also joined the campaign and appreciated the effort. Their participation reflected how meaningful change can begin when citizens, particularly young people, decide to take ownership of the spaces they use every day.
Nitin Kohli calls on youth to move beyond the blame game
Addressing the participants, Nitin Kohli thanked the young volunteers, local residents and organising team for their enthusiasm and commitment. He appreciated the team for translating an idea into practical action and said that initiatives like these demonstrate the constructive role young people can play in improving society.
Nitin Kohli said, “I congratulate the entire organising team for coming up with this unique initiative and thank every young volunteer and local resident who came forward to contribute. The real strength of this effort lies in its message. We often complain about garbage, dirty surroundings and the condition of our public spaces, but we must also ask ourselves what we are doing to improve them.
“Our youth should take accountability into their own hands. Instead of getting caught in a blame game and waiting for someone else to solve every problem, we should come forward and become part of the solution. Government agencies and sanitation workers have their responsibilities, but citizens also have an important role to play. When we work together, even a small initiative can create a meaningful impact.”
He said the campaign was an example of how an innovative idea could inspire people to participate in a social cause rather than limit themselves to discussing problems. He added that the energy, ideas and enthusiasm of young people should be channelled towards activities that benefit the wider community.
A beginning, not a one-day exercise
Emphasising that the initiative should serve as an example for other communities, Nitin Kohli said the objective was not simply to organise a cleanliness drive but to encourage more citizens to take similar steps in their own localities.
He said, “This was one initiative, one experience and one small step towards a larger goal. People should take inspiration from it and organise similar activities in their own neighbourhoods, parks and localities. Every area has its own challenges, and local residents are often best placed to identify them and work together on practical solutions.
“We need to come out of the blame game and develop a culture where people take responsibility for their surroundings. If every locality takes even one such initiative, the collective impact can be much greater. The idea is not that everyone must wait for us or for any one organisation. The idea is that more people should come forward, take ownership and make a difference where they live.”
The campaign highlighted the importance of community-led action and demonstrated how a local initiative can become an example for other neighbourhoods to follow. The organisers said they hoped the effort would motivate more young people and residents to initiate similar programmes in their respective areas.
Unique post-Dussehra concept turns awareness into action
The timing and concept of ‘Trash-a-thon: The Morning After Dussehra’ gave the campaign a distinctive identity. Rather than allowing the focus to remain on the celebrations alone, the initiative encouraged citizens to pay attention to the cleanliness of public spaces after the festivities.
The programme combined a cleanliness drive with plantation, promoting both immediate action and a longer-term commitment to a greener environment. Volunteers worked towards improving the surroundings of Adarsh Nagar Park, while the participation of morning walkers reinforced the importance of public ownership of shared spaces.
The initiative also underlined that civic responsibility is not limited to a particular occasion or campaign. Keeping parks clean, disposing of waste responsibly and protecting greenery require consistent efforts from individuals and communities.
‘Nitin De Saathi’ plans more community initiatives
The organising team announced plans to conduct more programmes in the coming days, focusing on cleanliness, environmental protection, plantation and other social causes.
The aim is to build on the experience of the Trash-a-thon and encourage sustained participation rather than restrict the effort to a single event. By involving more young people and local residents, ‘Nitin De Saathi’ hopes to promote a culture of active citizenship in which communities identify local problems and work together to address them.
The organisers stressed that the initiative should be seen as an example that others can adapt and replicate in their own localities. The larger objective is to encourage people to move from complaints to constructive action and make civic participation a regular part of community life.
Volunteers associated with the initiative
Those present were True Scoop's Founder Khyati Kohli, True Scoop's Co-founder Rakesh Behal, Sagar Walia, Garvita Kohli, Anjali Behal, Rijul Kohli, Simrita Uppal, Aakriti Arora, Monty Mago, Simardeep Singh Uppal, Rishav Sahota, Nehmat, Aradhya Kohli, Jaskirat, Rohan Kohli, Anush Martin, Anirudh Murria, Aagman Batra, Neeraj Shubh, Sanidhya Kohli, Rishabh Jain, Manpreet Kaushal, Shobit Khanna, Kashish Gupta, Shourya Kohli and Shubhkarman Singh.
Through this initiative, ‘Nitin De Saathi’ aims to encourage a stronger sense of civic responsibility and inspire more citizens to participate in social and environmental activities. The organisers said the experience should motivate other communities to take up similar efforts and develop locally driven solutions to everyday civic challenges.
The message of the Trash-a-thon was clear: a cleaner city cannot be built through complaints alone. It requires citizens who are willing to take responsibility, young people who turn ideas into action, and communities that choose participation over blame. What began as one initiative in Jalandhar can become a model for neighbourhoods that want to make a practical difference.