DU students to be trained for Swachh campaign

New Delhi, Nov 2: Delhi University students will now be trained to work in the five villages adopted by the varsity as part of the Centre's Swacch Bharat campaign.

DU has adopted five villages -- Majra Dabas, Jatkhore, Sevapuri, Timarpur, Nandnagri -- on the outskirts of the northern part of the national capital to help fulfill cleanliness tasks there.

"We have tied up with Sulabh International (SI) to train 200 students in various aspects of cleanliness so that they can take forward the skills and practices to the adopted villages as peer educators," said Rajesh, HOD of DU's Adult Continuing Education and Extension (DACEE) wing.

The week-long training programme is being conducted by DACEE in coordination with the Swachh committee at DU and SI, an organisation which works in the area of sanitation and waste management.

"DU colleges have been asked to nominate five students each who will be trained under the programme to become 'certified trained volunteers'. They will further conduct cleanliness training programmes in the villages," he added.

In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, the varsity had launched its own 'DU Swachhata Abhiyan' on October 2. A 20-member committee had been constituted as part of the drive to spread awareness about cleanliness, hygiene and safety.

"The Swachh committee is now working with the SI team to draft modules for the training programme, which will cover areas like sanitation, hygiene, safety, nutrition, innovation, leadership and proper procedure for disposal of waste material, among others," Rajesh said.

"We will be adopting more villages in due course once the target of cleanliness is achieved in these villages," he added.

The varsity had earlier joined hands with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to undertake the cleanliness drive on its campuses and roped in around 100 workers from the civic bodies to help the students and teachers towards that end.

"The cleanliness programme in the villages by these volunteers will run parallel to the campaign for cleanliness on campus," Rajesh said.

PTI