It was a Sunday like any other Sunday until 5.00PM on 30th November. The Heritage
Garden was brimming with people, being a popular weekend outing spot. Soon
volunteers in white t-shirts spread in the garden, few carrying placards and others
moving with gloves and bags to pick up the litter and politely requesting visitors not to
litter around the park. The placards carried interesting slogans on maintaining
cleanliness in our surroundings.
After cleaning, all volunteers gathered to carry the message of “Swachh Powai, Swasth
Powai” through a street play.
As the crowd gathered, they were given an introduction about Jago Powai and Bharat
Vikas Parishad’s (BVP) campaign which was followed by a lively street play bringing
about awareness on cleanliness around us. Play was written by Mr. Rishikesh Joshi ,
directed by Ms. Karnika Mehta and enacted by volunteers of all age groups from Jago
Powai and BVP. The play evoked spontaneous response from all in the park. After the
play an oath of cleanliness was administered to all present by one of the dignitaries Mr.
Hastimal Modi.
The group then moved with placards and its litter picking gear to the central avenue with
Ms Karnika in lead who visualized the whole campaign with Jago Powai and BVP. It
was great to see enthusiastic staff of Dominos Pizza and other establishments joining
the volunteers in the task of clean-up. Soon few BMC officials along with their crew also
joined. Another round of introduction was followed by the street play and cleanliness
oath by all present.
Having cleaned Central Avenue and requesting all establishments to maintain
cleanliness, the group reached Eden market. All along the way the volunteers were
shouting slogans of “Swachh Powai, Swasth Powai”. Concluding part of campaign was
at Cypress gate in market. The play evoked good response here too. Cleanliness Oath
was earlier administered by Mr. Kamlesh Pareek and now by Mr. Anant Kode.
Bharat Vikas Parishad gifted garbage bins for placing at Powai which were received by
BMC official Mr. Sharma,Mr. Bapat and Mr. Gourinadh of Jago Powai. The campaign
concluded with a vote of thanks and national anthem.
What started as a simple Sunday turned out to be a very different one on the 30th of
November.
The campaign was a result of joint efforts by “Jago Powai” and “Bharat Vikas Parishad”
(BVP). Jago Powai is a movement started by the people of Hiranandani Gardens to
create a clean and peaceful living environment for the residents in the area. It had
undertaken a major drive to clean-up the market street of garbage and pigeon menace,
followed by another drive to regulate traffic on one way Eden Market Street.
Bharat Vikas Parishad (www.bvpindia.com) is a service-cum-sanskar oriented, non-
political, socio-cultural voluntary organization. Established in 1963, BVP has more than
1160 branches across India. The Powai -Chandivali Branch had been active to hold
various programs for School Children in community like Patriotic and Sanskrit Group
Song Competition, “Bharat ko Jano” quiz etc. It also conducted first Swami Vivekanand
Run on his 150th birth anniversary in 2013 which has become annual event now.