In an unique and laudable citizens' initiative, residents of several societies in Indirapuram have come together to clean up the township of Ghaziabad. Christened Save Indirapuram, the initiative will witness various AOAs uniting for a common cause.
In a meeting between the AOA heads and the residents of GC Grand on November 22, it was decided that a group of about 100 people would conduct cleanliness drives in Indirapuram on every second Saturday and every fourth Sunday of the month. They also decided to meet GDA officials to ask for support.
Residents, with help from AOAs, carry out regular cleanliness drives around Indirapuram
It all began with the efforts of Anika Aren, a resident of ATS Advantage. She, along with other residents, would often carry out cleanliness drives around her society. She found strong support in her friend Anuja Chadha, who lives in GC Grand.
Chadha approached Ajay Sood, general secretary of her society's AOA. He, too, supported the idea and provided the society's maintenance team at their service.
Spreading the word further, Sood connected with his friends from the neighbourhood AOAs and they, too, were willing to participate in the community initiative. That is how the initiative picked up.
Sood said, "Shopkeepers and other small businesses in the neighbourhood would dump their trash on the sides of the roads at night. It was further littered by stray dogs. Morning walks had become an unpleasant experience. Something had to be done."
Tilak Arora, Sood's friend from the Amrapali Royal AOA; Sharat Jha, president of Rajhans Kutumb AOA; Sanat Tripathi, president of Lotus Pond; and several others decided to pitch in.
Tripathi said, "We are all willing to help. We will provide manpower, and everything else necessary for the success of this initiative."
