Mass Clean Up Takes Place in Bhagsu Nag

By Contact Staff / November 1, 2011;

Around 60 local Tibetan refugees, students, monks, Indian residents, tourists from all around the world, and officials joined a group of volunteers from Australia, England, South Africa, Germany and America in collecting nearly 100 bags of rubbish in a mass clean up of Bhagsu waterfall on Sunday, October 9th.
The groups from Mountain Green and Volunteer in India are also working with the Tibetan Hope Centre, teaching English to Tibetan refugees and working in the Hope Centre’s new cafe ‘Oasis’. They were pleased to see a large number of people from a range of different groups turn out to help with the clean up. Even families of Indian tourists donned gloves and bags in an inpromptu fashion, and picked up rubbish as part of their visit to the falls.
Tiffany Schultz, an environmental educator from Australia spoke about how waste was everyone’s responsibility, and this extends to what you put down the drain which ends up in the rivers – affecting users downstream. “The best way to reduce waste is not to create it in the first place (by buying goods packaged in plastic etc.), or at the very least carrying your rubbish to the nearest bin or recycling facility. In the longer term you can also make it clear to your municipal council or local political representative that waste management and education should be a higher priority”, she said.
Jagjeet from Punjab “felt ashamed that a group of foreigners were doing our work” so was glad to help out. Jagjeet believes there is, “a problem with complacency among Indian residents with regards to appropriate rubbish disposal.” He believes more education on the issue should start in schools.
Paul from Australia and his partner from the UK commented “we were here (in Bhagsu) about a year ago, and found it to be a relatively clean, beautiful place. But on returning this year we noticed decidely more rubbish around. So we saw this as a great opportunity to come and help out”.
Volunteer in India, The Tibet Hope Centre, Mountain Green & friends hope the event will continue to grow and inspire locals and tourists alike to keep the area clean. They would like to thank all of the individuals who helped promote the event and all those who participated. For more information and photos from the day contact Tiffany Schultz at 9736325948, Vikas at 9857093289, or Kusang at 9882162770