Fit India Mission to organise Freedom Run to promote cleanliness

New Delhi, Oct 1 (PTI) Sports Ministry's Fit India Mission will be organising a nationwide Freedom Run on Thursday to promote cleanliness and zero litter habits through plogging.

The initiative will feature individuals from all age groups and will be held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi. Plogging combines jogging with picking up litter.

With the tag line 'Swacchhta se Swasthya ki or' (On way to good health through cleanliness), the Fit India Freedom Run will be attended by Sports Secretary Hari Ranjan Rao as the chief guest.

Environmental activist Ripu Daman, who is also known as Plog man of India, and Deputy Director General, Sports Authority of India (SAI), Mayank Srivastava, will also participate in the event as special guests.

Coinciding with the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the month-long cleanliness drive will culminate on the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, on October 31.

Talking about the initiative, Ripu Daman said: "It gives me immense pleasure to be part of Fit India Freedom Run. Being the second largest country in terms of population, Indians need to indulge in all activities that promote cleanliness and hygiene, the ticket to good health.

"Littering is one of the bad habits we need to curb among our population and plogging is an activity which combines running along with picking up litter. So, I would urge every citizen to be part of this movement." The plogging drive will be organised simultaneously in capitals of all states and Union Territories besides SAI Regional Centres across various age groups. PTI PM PM PDS PDS