Budding techies at IIT (Indian School of Mines) in Dhanbad, Jharkhand, have donned the roles of cleanliness messengers carrying out cleanliness drives on the campus as well as outside the campus.

The fortnight-long drive which began on September 20 is being carried out in the institute, the institute’s hostels, and neighbouring schools (outside the campus). Quiz sessions on women’s health and hygiene are also being conducted among girl students of neighbouring schools as part of the drive.

Over 50 students not only cleared the dirt and waste from their campus but also from the campus of neighbouring schools. The drive is being carried out under the banner of the Centre of Societal Mission of IIT (ISM).

“The activities are being carried out as part of the Centre’s fortnightly awareness drive called Swachhata Pakhwada. So far awareness drive on women’s health and hygiene has been carried out at Global School of India in Dhanbad during which the women staff members of the IIT (ISM) made the girl students of the school aware of menstruation hygiene among other things,” said a spokesperson of the institute.

Associate dean of Rajbhasa Karyanwayan, Sanjeev Anand Sahu, who also heads the Centre of Societal Mission, said: “We are carrying out some in-house as well as outreach activities as part of the Swachhata Pakhwada. An intensive cleanliness drive has been carried out in Amber Hostel of the institute while the Swachh Bharat Quiz was conducted in Upgraded Middle School, Kusumdah, by Karma Jyoti, a group of research scholars carrying out educational activities in surrounding areas of IIT (ISM) as part of CSM.

“Under the Swachh Vidyalay, Swasth Vidyalay programme, cleanliness drive was carried out by a group 10-12 volunteers of CSM in different schools including, Madhya Vidyalaya, Dhaiya, Upgraded Middle School, Bhelatand and Upgraded Middle School, Kusumdah,” said assistant professor of mechanical engineering department and member of Centre of Societal Mission, Madan Lal Chandravanshi.

He also informed that a hostel cleanliness drive will be conducted in the newly established Aquamarine Hostel within two to three days.

“We will also conduct cleanliness awareness programmes with the help of Abhay Dramatics Club, the drama club of the institute, at various places on the campus and also at different adjoining schools,” informed Ananda Shankar Hati, assistant professor of the electrical engineering department.

“We have elaborate plans to carry out an intensive cleanliness drive on October 1 as part of the nationwide
Swachhata Hi Sewa campaign,” said Sanjeev Anand Sahu.

Sahu added that the drive during which more than 500 students will participate will begin from Oval Ground on campus at 10am and after reaching the main gate of the institute, it will proceed to the vegetable mandi situated outside the institute.