'Indians clean at home…not outside': Foreigners clean Gurugram roads, drains
What's the story
In an unusual initiative, foreign nationals have taken it upon themselves to clean the streets and drains of Gurugram, in Haryana, India. The volunteers, including both expatriates and locals, started their campaign near Guru Dronacharya Metro Station. They hope to inspire other locals to take more responsibility for their city's cleanliness.
Twitter Post
Watch visuals of cleanliness drive
#WATCH | Haryana | Foreign nationals living in Gurugram, along with locals, organised a cleanliness drive to clean the roads and drains in Gurugram. (24. 08) pic.twitter.com/3zKvRz7uIs
— ANI (@ANI) August 25, 2025
Cleanliness drive
'Cleanliness is next to godliness': Jankovic
Lazar Jankovic, a Serbian national leading the campaign, said cleanliness should extend beyond homes. He quoted Mahatma Gandhi, saying, "Cleanliness is next to godliness." Jankovic described Indias as "among the cleanest on the planet... But the moment it's about things outside their house, they think it's not their issue. We have to change that." This initiative comes as Gurugram faces severe waste management issues, with door-to-door collection dropping from 85% to 59% in one year.
Community effort
Local residents join hands with expatriates
Local residents also joined hands with expatriates in the cleanliness drive. Aman Verma, a resident of Sector 47, said keeping Gurugram clean is a collective responsibility. Khushi Singhal from Sector 57 emphasized that clean areas are less likely to be littered again. The campaign was supported by Garbage Free India, an NGO working on waste segregation and sustainable management.
Sustainable solutions
Volunteers stress need for better infrastructure support
Volunteers stressed the need for better infrastructure support, like more public bins and recognition of sanitation workers. They said without adequate tools, training, and safety gear, sustainable results are hard to achieve. Meanwhile, Pradeep Dahiya, Commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), emphasized that cleanliness cannot be achieved by municipal machinery alone. He said today's effort shows what can be achieved when officials, sanitation workers, and residents unite for a cleaner city.