Department of Military Affairs successfully concludes Special Campaign 2.0 on Swachhta

New Delhi. A nationwide campaign on Swachhta was organised by Department of Military Affairs (DMA), between October 2- 31 to institutionalize ‘Swachhta’ in its field offices and units across the country. The campaign was carried out by Army, Navy and Air Force at various locations across the country.

The three armed forces have carried out cleanliness drives in 2,668 campaign sites identified by the Department. Further, 398 rules have been simplified by various organisations.  The Department has generated a remarkable revenue of Rs 212.68 crore from the disposal and sale of scrap material.  In respect of record management, 845,435 physical files have been reviewed and 269,132 physical files have been weeded out.  As a result of scrap disposal and weeding out of files, space of 185,887 sq.ft. has been effectively freed.

Some innovative practices have been adopted by various field formations in connection with the cleanliness campaign.

A Paint Storage facility has been established at the Naval Dockyard, Vishakapatanam. The facility houses six Vertical Lift Modules capable of storing 60,000 litres of paint. It enables automatic lift and stowage of heavy paint drums in 25 trays stacked vertically and their retrieval as per user requirement. It provides for easy segregation of more than 120 types of paint used in naval ships with suitable tracking of shelf life, real time monitoring of paint stock using customized inventory management software with capability to forecast future requirement. This facility has not only reduced human effort substantially in stacking and retrieving paint drums, but also resulted in the optimum utilization of available space.

In the Northern Sector, Garud Division of the Indian Army organized an awareness drive with wholehearted cooperation of people of  Ladakh, encouraging them to clean up the rivers, springs and conserve the sensitive ecosystem of the region, as part of Swachh Bharat Campaign. A special campaign was organized at the Siachen Glaciers as well in the bone-chilling cold.

A special awareness drive titled ‘Go Green’ was organized by the Indian Army at Bareilly.

In the Southern Sector, Amphibious Warriors of Thiruvanthapuram Military Station carried out Beach cleaning at Kochuveli Beach to promote healthy environment for Coastal Lives and to improve Marine Ecosystem to mark Swachhata Abhiyan.

In a concerted effort to put the principles of 3-Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) into practice, Ranbankura Division under Saptashakti command organized a cleanliness drive to get rid of the burgeoning menace of plastic waste and to promote the reuse of used plastic. The division also converted unused open spaces to recreational areas for residents, enhancing the beauty of the landscape and improving community access.

In the Eastern Sector, troops of Kripan Division, Trishakti Corps, along with civilians, undertook cleanliness drive in Binnaguri, West Bengal. Hundreds pledged to keep the surroundings clean and tidy, thereby contributing to the cause of Swachh Bharat. Troops of Striking Lion Division, Trishakti Corps carried out Swachchata Abhiyan on the banks of the revered Gurudongmar Lake in North Sikkim in bone-freezing temperatures.