If the popular Joggers’ Park in Sonari looks neater than before, it is all thanks to a swachh sentinel who might not even know the good he is doing.

Intellectually impaired from childhood, Harinder Singh, 29, who lives in Onkar Apartment in Sonari with his mother and younger brother, just cannot tolerate the sight of waste strewn in and around the park that’s barely 300 metres from his home.

Harinder, who studied in The School of Hope as a teenager, stayed at home for a few years before his mother Satvinder Kaur enrolled him with another school for special persons, Jeevika.

It is while performing the morning sports drills with Jeevika’s other students at Joggers’ Park that Harinder started cleaning up the park.

“He was always neat and tidy,” mother Satvinder told The Telegraph. “He has been intellectually impaired since birth but he does not like clutter around him, and does his best to clean it up.”

At the park, morning walkers are used to seeing Harinder picking up plastic wrappers, bottles and paper cups and putting them in a big bag. He takes the trash home from where the collector picks it up.

Jeevika founder Avtar Singh said he was very proud of his ward.

“I don’t know if Harinder does this cleanliness operation knowingly or unknowingly, or whether he is even aware of the appreciation he gets. It is difficult to answer this question, but we are very proud of Harinder,” said Singh, a seven-time national cycling champion.

Jeevika secretary Sukhdeep Kaur, who has done a course on mental retardation from Deepshikha in Ranchi, said Harinder had severe intellectual impairment. “Mild , moderate, severe and profound are the categories of mental impairment. Harinder has severe mental retardation. It was moderate earlier but has now become severe.”

Jeevika founder Singh added that Harinder’s admission to Jeevika has not just helped the park but also helped the youth. “He stooped, but now walks straight. He has also started making eye contact, which he did not earlier.”

Mother Satvinder, who lost her husband over a decade ago and runs a tailoring shop, said her son was also very caring. “I have three children, my elder daughter is married, Harinder is the middle child and I have a younger son. Harinder has always got a lot of love. He’s also very caring. I remember once I was hit by a random football on my shoulder, and fell down. Harinder came running, picked me up, hugged and kissed me.”