In taking part in the Landmark Education Self-Expression and Leadership Programme, PP Singh decided to make an organisation to make real difference with issues bedeviling Faridabad. This article from the Delhi Times tells the tale.

They Love Their City. Do You?

Sanjay Chaturvedi

Recent Initiatives of an NGO in Faridabad has focused on how people can participate in campaigns towards keeping their city clean and derive satisfaction out of it by fulfilling their civic responsibilities in the best possible manner

“The city has given me so much, I want to do whatever I can for the city,” says PP Singh, founder of the NGO ‘I Love my city’. The organisation has participated in various campaigns towards sensitising people and making them aware of their civic duties.

Singh (48) who was born in Myanmar and shifted to Faridabad in 1994 had mooted the idea with 15 of his colleagues and friends last November. “The membership which has now risen to 45 is offered for lifetime for Rs100 and is far less important than people’s willingness to do something for their city’s welfare,” says Singh. He said, “The feeling of satisfaction and realising my worth for the society keeps me on my toes.”

The organisation has undertaken several tasks which, for others, is ‘demeaning’. As their maiden initiative, they repaired the road connecting the industrial belt to the residential areas in Sector-23. They themselves mixed the mortar and cement for the purpose and barricaded the area marked for repair. This fetched them the attention of public as many people came forward and decided to join the movement.

Gradually, more and more people jumped onto the bandwagon of this movement as the NGO organised an awareness drive about the traffic rules. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Shashank Anand, himself participated in the programme and which bears a robust testimony to the enthusiasm shown by the local police in this public campaign. Further, as more and more people started joining the movement, they decide to work as professional massions and repaired the potholes in the road in Sector-28 as their next venture. The activity was followed by a presentation of their cause before Fardidabad Industries Association which motivated all its executive committee members to take a pledge for the cause.

The latest feather the organisation has added to its cap came last Sunday when the members educated the vendors in Sector-15 market regarding how to maintain cleanliness and a healthy atmosphere around their establishments.

Shouting slogans like mera market kaisa ho, mere ghar ke jaisa ho, kooda ki jagah kahan par ho, Koodedaan mein and Swachchha rah, Swastha raho, they disseminated their message amongst the local people. These activities had the salutary effect of shopkeepers running to clean their areas before the group arrived to campaign. The group also distributed pamphlets to shopkeepers as well as the shoppers.  Besides, a few dustbins and brooms were also distributed to the vendors for a proper upkeep of the place.

The group has members cutting across age-groups and other segments and has members including Sajan Kumar Jain, president, FIA, Sunil Gulati, ex-president FIA, Sanjay Gulati, TD Jatwani, president, Residents Welfare Association.