Fed up of dirty surroundings and taunts from foreign visitors to Agra, the locals pick up brooms and spades

Unable to swallow the taunts and negative comments from domestic and foreign visitors on the pathetic state of Agra with its filthy, litter-ridden surroundings, a voluntary group of social activists consisting of retired defense personnel and other professionals have taken up the task on their own. One of the members is an ex-NASA scientist!
They have identified themselves as India Rising and have begun a self-help mission to clean up roads, parks and other public places and utilities in the city. This city is where the world famous Taj Mahal is located. It attracts millions of tourists every year.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 1 October 2015.

Plenty of photo ops are reported in the media but, when it comes down to brass tacks, nothing worthwhile is happening. The sewers in Agra are overflowing and gutters are choked. Therefore, Sudershan Dua, an ex-serviceman has taken up the cudgels. He is the mastermind behind the 'India Rising' group.
Instead of waiting for things to happen, they want to make things happen. Since help from the apathetic Uttar Pradesh government and indifferent private individuals is not forthcoming, the India Rising members who sport blue T-shirts and caps have decided to take matters into their own hands.
They work on Sunday mornings – they zero in on a selected spot, after posting an invite on Facebook, and clean up the whole area. They arrive with brooms, spades and baskets. They work to collect garbage, trim bushes, fill the potholes and give a lick of paint wherever required. The job done, they take photos before and after our clean-up activity and post these on the Facebook to motivate others to join. The response has been heartening.
Incidentally, the campaign took off in March 2014 – much before Prime Minister Narendra Modi came on the scene and launched the 'Swachh Bharat' initiative.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Some more interesting 'must reads'-

Worsening quality of air forces shutdown of Singapore schools

Giant laddoo weighing 11,111Kg offered to Goddess Ambaji at Ambaji temple

Israeli armed Heron drones to be inducted into the Indian arsenal


Bay City Rollers, the Scottish band, to hold a reunion gig in Glasgow

Richa Chadha opens her mind – says, she wants to do ‘candy-floss’ roles

Chris Brown, the American singer, may be denied entry into Australia


Gunmen abduct foreigners from a Philippine island resort, an American and a Japanese jump to safety

Huge rat-size spiders invade Cheshire – residents in panic

Ukraine imposes sanctions on Moscow - bans Aeroflot and Transaero flights into the country


36-days for Durga Puja and the dhakis get ready

Durga Puja is the busiest time of the year for Kumortuli

Bengalis and the hawkers’ corners in Kolkata