On September 16, 2024, Sulabh International took a bold step beyond its pioneering work in sanitation and social reform by turning its attention towards India’s mountains. On the birthday of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Sulabh launched a new initiative — “Sulabh Swachhata Pahadon Ki Ore” — dedicated to extending the spirit of Swachh Bharat to the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.
In partnership with the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF), the first project under this initiative, the Clean Himalaya Campaign 2024, set out to protect the sacred landscapes of Adi Kailash and Om Parbat. Led by the renowned mountaineer Purmal Singh Dharmshaktu and supported by local residents, volunteers, and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the team undertook a challenging high-altitude trek across Gunji, Nabi, Kuti, Jeolingkong, and Sinlapass. Together, they collected 549 bags of waste, installed dustbins along pilgrimage routes, and engaged trekkers and pilgrims in conversations about responsible tourism. The campaign left behind more than just cleaner trails — it instilled a sense of shared responsibility and offered a model of conservation rooted in community action.
Encouraged by this impact, Sulabh and IMF came together again one year later. On the eve of Prime Minister Modi’s 75th birthday, the Clean Himalayan Campaign 2025 — “Sulabh Swachhta Parvaton Ki Ore” — was flagged off. The event was inaugurated by Shri Bhupender Yadav, Hon’ble Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, who paid tribute to Sulabh’s late founder, Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, recalling his lifelong dedication to human dignity and environmental stewardship.
From the very start, the campaign was framed not just as a trek, but as a national movement. Shri Pankaj Jain, Controller-General of Sulabh, urged that the crisis of mountain pollution demanded a comprehensive approach — one that looked at the entire life cycle of plastics, introduced buy-back schemes, and promoted a “Leave No Trace” ethic among all visitors to the Himalayas. Brigadier Ram Pratap Singh, Project Director, described the scale of the new mission: a 750 km trek over 15 days, reaching altitudes of 16,000 feet, led by a 10-member team with the support of local communities, youth groups, and self-help collectives.
This continuity — from Adi Kailash and Om Parbat in 2024 to the new Himalayan stretches of 2025 — reflects Sulabh’s determination to transform “Swachhata Pahadon Ki Ore” into a living, growing movement. What began as a symbolic effort on the Prime Minister’s birthday has now matured into a sustained mission, connecting cleanliness with conservation, and linking mountain ecosystems with the broader goals of climate action.
As the Clean Himalayan Campaign moves forward, Sulabh International reaffirms its pledge: to keep the Himalayas clean, to empower communities to take charge of their environment, and to ensure that the vision of a Swachh Bharat resonates from every peak to every valley.
