The 17-day cleanliness campaign conducted by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) concluded on Saturday with an uncomfortable question over its ambitious citizen-participation push: where were most of the Swachh Bharat ambassadors?
Nearly two years after the civic body handpicked social activists, influencers, sportspersons, a radio jockey, a transgender representative and content creators as brand ambassadors for the Swachh Bharat Mission till March 31, 2028, only a handful could be seen at the recent cleanliness drive aimed at boosting Nagpur's national Swachh Survekshan ranking.
Appointed Ambassadors and Their Absence
Civic records show that around nine personalities were appointed as city ambassadors in 2024 and later two more members were added. Only Green Vigil founder Kaustav Chatterjee and social worker Kiran Mundada were regularly seen on the ground during the 17-day cleanliness campaign. Chatterjee, along with volunteers of his NGO, led clean-up activities at lakes, bus stops, heritage structures, major residential colonies and other public spaces on all 17 days.
Chief sanitation officer Dr Gajendra Mahalle admitted that Nagpur requires much greater public participation in order to improve its standing in the national cleanliness rankings.
Concerns Over Initiative Impact
The absence of most ambassadors has raised questions over whether the initiative has remained confined to official files and social media announcements rather than evolving into a sustained citizen movement.
"We certainly need more active involvement from citizens and our ambassadors. Swachh Survekshan is not only about municipal efforts but also about community ownership," said another official from the solid waste management department.
