PIB News Update: Fit India Plogging Run, which was launched on October 2, 2019, concluded today in Delhi’s Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium, having covered 50 cities across the country.
During the event, Minister of State(I/C) for Youth Affairs & Sports, Shri Kiren Rijiju felicitated Ripu Daman Bevli, popularly known as the Plogman of India and named him the Plogging Ambassador of India. The minister also launched the nation-wide Plogging Ambassador Mission under which, Indians who have been running and cleaning their cities, towns or districts, will be nominated as Plogging Ambassadors of their region.
Plog Run is a unique way of picking up garbage while jogging and was added to the Fit India Movement as a unique way of combining cleanliness and fitness. Bevli, who started plogging in 2017, started the Fit India Plogging Run with the aim to make India litter-free. Belvi and his team have cleaned up 50 cities and covered over 1000km in about 2 months, collecting 2.7 tonnes of garbage.
Talking about the success of Fit India Plogging Run, Shri KirenRijiju said, “The plog run is an amazing thing that started in India and I must thank Ripu Daman for taking the lead role. I feel cleaning is everyone’s job and plogging run makes cleaning glamorous and attractive for the youth. You are jogging and picking up the trash while doing it. So, you are doing something for your fitness as well as for cleanliness of your surroundings. Plogging Run combines the Fit India Movement and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.”
In the first Fit India Plogging Run held on October 2, 2019, over 36 lakh people participated in over 62,000 locations across the country. This was organised with the combined efforts of Sports Authority of India, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), National Service Scheme (NSS), NGOs, KendriyaVidalaya and several other organizations joining in.