GUWAHATI: This year, Durga Puja revelry will be all about remaining alert and keeping a sharp eye on pandal hoppers for a motley group of girl students in Assam's Nagaon town as they have taken a vow to spread Gandhi's message of cleanliness among the revellers.
All from Nagaon Bengali Girls' High School, this group of green police will not only try to ensure cleanliness but will make rudimentary garbage cans from discarded cartons, newspapers and other objects.
On August 15, the students were felicitated by the Nagaon district administration for taking initiatives aimed at public hygiene. It included safe drinking water campaign, voicing concern against pollution, awareness on water-borne diseases and adopting a road in front of their school for monitoring its cleanliness.
This year, the students will work in tandem with two prominent committees in Nagaon town.
"Bengali Sanmilani and the Ram Krishna Mission Puja Committee want to spread the message of cleanliness and the girls have decided to be part of the effort. The aim is to ensure a litter-free Puja," said Aparna Bhattacharya, a teacher of the school.
She added that members of green police will also adorn the walls of mandaps with quotations on cleanliness by Mahatma Gandhi.
"During Puja holidays, students take time off to enjoy. But my students have decided to do something positive. They are serious about their mission and I am really proud of them," said Bhattacharya.
Earlier this month TemsutulaImsong, the do-it-yourself (DIY) warrior of cleaning the ghats of the Ganges in Varanasi, met the students of the group. After meeting them, Imsong forwarded tweets to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister SarbanandaSonowal about the good work done by Assam's very own green police.
"I was greatly inspired by the green police. I had tweeted about their achievements. Such inspirational stories need to be told to people," said Imsong.
The green police has launched several such initiatives to promote sustainability and cleanliness in Nagaon.
