Thus was planted the seed of the CLEAN-India programme that has, over the span of more than a decade, grown into a movement spreading its roots across the country as also internationally. Launched by Development Alternatives as DEAN (Delhi Environment Action Network) with only 50 students and five schools, the programme soon metamorphosed into the nationwide CLEAN-India programme which today is anchored by over 30 NGO partners in 78 towns and cities, reaching out to over 400 schools and communities and over a million students.

The underlying principle of the CLEAN-India programme is that ‘each one of us is responsible for the current state of environment in the country, and we cannot wait for someone else to solve it’. With this basic premise, the CLEAN-India programme trains the youth brigade to become environment activists and advocates in their communities and thus be the agents of change for building sustainable societies. The relevance of the CLEAN-India programme comes into focus against the backdrop of Agenda 21, the UN’s 1992 statement on sustainable development which put the community at the heart of local decision making.

Monitoring water and air quality, managing solid waste, locally growing food products on waste, making the surroundings green by planting native tree species; establishing herb corners and recycling paper are only some of the activities regularly coordinated by CLEAN-India.

The programme provides opportunities to students to understand and improve the environment in their communities. It empowers them to learn about the quality of the environment and use their findings to create or demand solutions. The programme, thus, merges hands-on scientific learning with civic action. The students initiate management practices at their homes and schools and then gradually help extend it to the community. At the community level, the programme brings together academicians, experts, resident welfare associations, local business associations, local authorities, etc., to work together in solving local problems. The network approach facilitates school - community groups to share information and arrive at solutions to problems. Further issues like the ill effects of the use of polybags, toxic colours during Holi, bursting of crackers in Diwali, immersing idols painted with toxic colours in water bodies, littering of solid waste on our streets and green consumerism are all discussed and deliberated with student groups.

The CLEAN-India programme has set new standards and benchmarks in the arena of environment education and movements and has received widespread recognition and appreciation at international fora such as the Global Environment Youth Convention, International Children’s Conference on Environment and the International Conference on Environment Education. CLEAN-India has, over the years, associated with several like-minded international organisations and movements towards realisation of their common goal of sustainable development in the twenty first century. CLEAN-India, as the India Affiliate of the Earth Charter, has taken the principles of sustainable development to thousands of schools in order to establish a sound ethical foundation based on respect for Nature, diversity, universal human rights and a culture of peace. CLEAN-India is also associated with ZERI (Zero Emissions Research Initiative) to bring about a radical change in science education for children.

Clean-India has been at the forefront of the environment movement in India with the youth posing both as its army as well as ambassadors and has always led the way in addressing newly emerging challenges. With our burgeoning cities expanding exponentially and the typically urban environmental ills spreading their tentacles into the hitherto pristine rural environment, the stage is set for CLEAN-India to take up the challenge of ensuring environmental protection and sustainable development in the villages, replicating and going beyond the success it has had in the urban milieu.

CLEAN-India as a mass movement for environment improvement has come of age, and is poised to take the next big leap towards addressing the emerging challenges of the twenty first century as reflected in climate change and natural disasters, urbanisation, desertification… the list is endless. Let this be a call of action and an invitation to all concerned citizens to join CLEAN-India in its endeavour to realise our common dream – a greener and cleaner India. q

Usha Srinivasan
usrinivasan@devalt.org