‘Swachhta Pakhwada’ at Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh : A host of cleanliness activities, tree plantations and awareness programmes were held across various faculties, departments, offices and schools of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) to observe the ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’ as part of the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ initiative of the government from September 1 to September 15.
At the Dr Z A Dental College (ZADC); teachers, students and the non- teaching staff pledged to observe cleanliness and hygiene in daily life and to devote 100 hours yearly towards ‘Swachhta’.
They vowed to sensitise people about the importance of cleanliness and a healthy environment and propagate the movement to the farthest reach of rural and urban areas.
“ZADC Teachers and students planted tree saplings in unused spots of the college backyard and lawns, a ‘Best out of Waste’ competition was held in which the participants presented their ideas on how to recycle and reuse waste materials and a massive cleanliness drive was organised”, said Prof R K Tiwari, Principal, ZADC.
He added: “Short speech, poster-making and slogan-writing competitions on different topics particularly for BDS students were also held. The topic for the first year students was ‘Swatchhta’, while the second and third students participated in the competitions on the topics Water Conservation and Forest Conservation respectively. Maintenance of Kitchen, Food Waste Management and Cleanliness was the topic for final year students and interns”.
Faculty members, Dr Afshan Bey, Dr Ashok Kumar, Dr Divya Sharma, Dr Praduman Verma, Dr Shraddha Rathi, Dr Arbab, Dr Asadullah, Dr Naseer Salati and Dr Juhi Gupta among others spoke on the importance of cleanliness.
Dr N D Gupta extended the vote of thanks and Dr Neha Agrawal coordinated the program.
Similarly, at the Department of Botany, Prof Ghazala Parveen (Chairperson of the Department) administered the pledge in which faculty members and non-teaching staff agreed to propagate the message of Swachh Bharat Mission in villages and towns and to take appropriate steps towards cleanliness.
Zahra Asad won the first prize in the speech-competition on ‘Importance of Water Conservation and Judicious use of Water Resources’ to observe the ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’ with Fazal Imam and Shafaq Usmani finishing second and third respectively. Jaweriya Zaidi and Saba Fatima shared the consolation prize.
Adeeba Khanam won the poster-making competition on ‘Importance of Forests for a Sustainable Ecosystem and Need of Collective Efforts for their Conservation’, Surbhi Singh stood second, Ayesha Asif finished third and Anam Usman and Saurabh Kapoor jointly received the consolation prize.
Anjum Shaheen was declared the winner of the essay-writing competition on ‘How Plastic ends up in Landfills, Water Bodies and Impact Humans, Livestock and the Environment’ in which Alfiya Naseem and Fazal Imam finished on the second and third spots respectively. Aiyman Hasnain and Andleeb Anjum received the consolation prize.
Massive cleanliness drive and tree-plantations were also held, said Prof Ghazala Parveen.
In the ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’ observations at the Department of Business Administration, Frank and Debbie Islam Management Complex, Prof Khalid Azam administered the ‘Swachhta’ pledge.
“Saplings of high CO2 absorbing Ashoka plant were sowed in the department premises. Prof Khalid Azam, Prof Salma Ahmed, Prof Ayesha Farooq and other faculty members participated in the tree plantations”, said Prof Jamal A Farooquie (Dean, Faculty of Management and Chairman, Department of Business Administration).
He added that the ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’ observations were conducted in line with Government guidelines on appropriate Covid behaviour.
Pledges were administered to sensitise people about the importance of cleanliness and healthy environment at the Urban Health Training Centre (UHTC), Qila Road and Rural Health Training Centre (RHTC), Jawan of the Department of Community Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC), said Prof Anees Ahmad (Chairman, Department of Community Medicine).
Dr Suboohi Afzal (Chief Medical Officer, UHTC), Dr Uzma Eram and Dr Tabassum Nawab (Medical Officer Health, RHTC) with faculty members, resident doctors and students planted saplings of high CO2 absorbing Ashoka plants in the UHTC and RHTC premises.
Cleanliness drives were also held at both the Centres.
Dr Iram Abid, Dr Jubair Shamsi, Dr Asma Aftab and Dr Asra Saqib delivered health talks on ‘Awareness on all aspects of Swachhta-Personal, Physical, Mental, Environmental and Societal Levels’ and ‘Ensure No Water Stagnation in Homes, Coolers, Water Tents to avoid Breeding of Mosquitoes’. Dr Shaista Perveen spoke on the maintenance of ‘Kitchen, Food Hygiene, Waste Management and Cleanliness and Dr Hira Alam delineated menstrual hygiene.
Students wrote slogans on water conservation, forest conservation, complete ban on single use plastic and checking wastage of water and appropriate measures to rectify it, while interns of 2016 batch at the UHTC wrote slogans and held discussions on ‘Need of Cleanliness and Hygiene’.
Postgraduate students and interns discussed the need and importance of water conservation, forest conservation, personal and community hygiene, harmful effects of plastics with better alternatives such as paper and jute bags.
A poster-making competition was also held on ‘Water Conservation, Forest Conservation, Environmental Hygiene and Menstrual Hygiene.
The program concluded with the message, ‘Ban on Single Use Plastic’ and community members were encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyles.
At the Department of Library and Information Science, faculty members and the non-teaching staff participated in a mass cleanliness drive and planted tree saplings.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof Nishat Fatima (Chairperson, Department of Library and Information Science) pointed out that cleanliness should be a part of our day to day routine.
“As we clean ourselves and our homes, we should also try to clean our surroundings as well as the university campus by continuous maintenance and planting many useful trees”, she added.
Saplings of high CO2 absorbing plants were sowed and ‘Swachhta’ pledge administered at the Centre for Distance and Online Education to observe the nation-wide ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’.
“Faculty members and non-teaching staff vowed to observe cleanliness and hygiene and devote 100 hours yearly for voluntary cleanliness work,” said Prof Mohd Nafees Ahmad Ansari (Director, Centre for Distance and Online Education).
Prof Asfar Ali Khan (Director, Directorate of School Education) called for adopting a holistic approach for cleanliness and maintain a clean environment at the Saiyyid Hamid Senior Secodary School (Boys) ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’ observations.
Prof Abid Ali Khan (Deputy Director, Directorate of School Education) applauded the tree plantation drive undertaken at the School.
Dr S M Mustafa (Principal, Saiyyid Hamid Senior Secodary School, Boys) exhorted students and staff members to adopt the concept of ‘each one plant one’ and to keep planting trees in the school premises and other areas.
A cleanliness drive and sowing of high CO2 absorbing plants was carried out at the various hostels and the Provost Office premises of the Residential Aftab Hall.
“The ‘Swachhta’ pledge was undertaken by wardens and hostel staff; online poster-making, speech, re-use of waste material and slogan-writing competitions were held. Special awareness programmes on water and forest conservation; maintenance of kitchen, food waste management and ban on single use plastic, checking water wastage also took place”, said Mr Salman khalil, Provost, Aftab Hall.
He added: “Students participated in online debates and highlighted the need of ‘Swachhta Audit’.
Cleanliness drives and tree plantations were held to observe the 15-day ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’ at the residential girls hostel, Begum Azeezun Nisa Hall, said Prof Subuhi Khan (Provost).
She added that a pledge was also taken to encourage wardens, hostel staff and students to devote time for massive cleanliness drives in the university and elsewhere.
Dr Abdur Rauf (Chairman) administered the ‘Swachhta Pledge’ at the Department of Ilmul Advia.
A cleanliness drive was conducted and saplings of high CO2 absorbing plants were planted in the department premises, said Dr Abdur Rauf.
He further said that the students enthusiastically participated in slogan-writing, poster-making and debate competitions on the importance of ‘Swachhta’.
The ‘Swachhta Audit’ committee of the Department of Geology comprising Prof Akram Javed (Convenor), Dr Abdullah Khan, Dr Taqveem A Khan, Dr Izhar Ahmad and Dr Tariq Siddiqui visited the labs, classrooms, seminar library, museum, geological park, lawns and other work places to inspect cleanliness in the department premises.
Prof Kr Farahim Khan (Chairman, Department of Geology) administered the ‘Swachhta’ pledge and highlighted the importance of cleanliness.
A cleanliness drive in all areas of the department was also conducted to observe ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’ at the department, said Prof Kr Farahim.
Similarly, cleanliness drive also took place at the Department of Civil Engineering to observe ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’.
“The Swachhta Pakhwada activities were undertaken following the concept of ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’ of construction waste under the supervision of Prof Mohd Masroor Alam. The concept encourages collection of construction waste to be used for filling the low ground and saving precious soil”, said Prof Abdul Baqi (Chairman, Department of Civil Engineering).
Various wings, hostels and offices of the residential girls hostel, Begum Sultan Jahan Hall were thoroughly cleaned to observe the ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’, said Prof Saira Mehnaz (Provost).
She also administered the ‘Swachhta’ Pledge in which the wardens and staff members vowed to maintain cleanliness and spoke on the importance of ‘Swachhta’ mission.
Dr Ali Jafar Abedi (University Health Officer) helped organising the programme at the Begum Sultan Jahan Hall.
At the Sir Syed Hall—South, Prof Badrudduja Khan (Provost), Prof Shagufta Aleem (Principal, AK Tibbiya College) and Prof F S Sherani (Dean, Faculty of Unani Medicine) with hostel wardens and staff planted saplings of high CO2 absorbing plants.
Dr Abdul Aziz Khan (Department of Tahafuzzi-wa-Samaji Tib) delivered an online lecture on ‘Relevance of Hand Hygiene during Pandemic’.
Prof Suhail Ahmed Azmi (Chairman, Department of Psychiatry) administered the ‘Swachhta’ pledge at the Department of Psychiatry.
Dr Deoshree Akhouri, Dr Mohammed Reyazuddin and Dr Shravan Kumar with other faculty members and non-teaching planted tree saplings in the department premises. A slogan writing competition on the importance of cleanliness also took place.