Youths tie up with NMC for 15-day Amrai cleanliness drive

Nagpur: An initiative which started as a Sunday clean-up activity has transformed into a 15-day drive spearheaded by youngsters to restore the tranquility of Amrai, a forested stretch along the road from Sonegaon to Nagpur airport. Lokesh Thota, a social media influencer known as "Loki," said that following the good response to the clean-up effort in February, the group collaborated with Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), which is running its own environmental awareness initiatives during the 15-day period.As per Lokesh, majority of volunteers in the drive are youngsters. "On weekday, around 12 to 20 volunteers actively work on site and the participation is significantly higher on weekends. The volunteers have been steadily clearing waste from dense vegetation and hard-to-reach areas within the forested stretch," he said. He added that the NMC has extended logistical support by providing protective masks, gloves, reusable gunny bags, and rakes to help extract garbage from thick bushes and uneven terrain.So far, the team has cleaned approximately 150 metres of the forest stretch, particularly from the Sahakar Nagar entry side. Lokesh said the cleaned pathway now appears free of litter. The group has also undertaken awareness drives among nearby shopkeepers and residents, encouraging them to avoid littering and support long-term conservation of the area.Amrai, which is believed to date back to the Bhonsle era, is home to heritage features such as an old well constructed during the reign of Raghuji Raje Bhonsle I, adding cultural significance to its ecological value.The volunteers appealed to citizens to actively participate in the drive to help restore Amrai to its original natural beauty. They indicated that clean-up efforts will continue after monsoon to ensure long-term maintenance and sustainability of the restored area.