Development Alternatives, supported by TATA TRUSTS and in collaboration with Haridwar Nagar Nigam under Community Resource Management program, successfully organised two consecutive Swachhta Awareness Rallies and Clean-up Drives on 27 and 28 June 2026 under Project Nirmal Haridwar. Moving beyond a waste collection campaign, the initiative served as a community platform that harnessed the power of citizen engagement to promote public participation, behavioural change, and sustainable solid waste management practices.

Rooted in the project’s Information, Education and Communication (IEC) strategy, the initiative demonstrated how local public drives can foster dialogue on pressing urban sanitation challenges while strengthening community ownership. Through ground-level advocacy and clean-up activities, participating citizens conveyed messages of source segregation, environmental stewardship, and collective responsibility, transforming public awareness into a powerful tool for civic action and behaviour change.

The back-to-back drives mobilised 65 active participants across culturally significant riverfronts, culminating in the removal of 750 kg of waste before local residents and visitors. Distinguished guests and local leaders included representatives from Haridwar Nagar Nigam, the District Disaster Management Officer, and Ganga Sabha and local ward members, reflecting strong institutional support for community-led environmental initiatives.

Project Nirmal Haridwar aims to create sustainable urban development by demonstrating that locally rooted mobilization platforms can effectively underscore community voices, inspire collective action, and advances the mission of creating a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient urban environment.