Nagpur: What began as a modest Sunday cleanliness campaign has evolved into a determined environmental movement, with a group of young volunteers working tirelessly to reclaim the neglected Amrai forest stretch connecting Sonegaon and Nagpur Airport.
Driven by a shared commitment to conservation, the initiative has now expanded into a 15-day restoration drive aimed at removing years of accumulated waste and restoring the area’s natural charm. The campaign is being led by social media influencer Lokesh Thota, popularly known as “Loki,” whose earlier clean-up efforts received overwhelming public support.
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Encouraged by the response, the volunteers joined hands with the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), which is currently conducting parallel environmental awareness programmes across the city. The collaboration has provided the campaign with both momentum and resources.
According to Lokesh, youngsters form the backbone of the initiative. While a dedicated team of 12 to 20 volunteers works on weekdays, participation swells significantly during weekends as more citizens join the effort.
The task, however, has not been easy. Volunteers have been navigating dense vegetation, uneven terrain and inaccessible corners of the forest to remove plastic waste, discarded bottles and other litter that had accumulated over the years. With logistical support from the NMC, including masks, gloves, rakes and reusable gunny bags, the team has managed to clean nearly 150 metres of the forest corridor from the Sahakar Nagar entrance side.
The transformation is already visible. Areas once littered with garbage now offer a cleaner and more inviting pathway through the greenery. Beyond waste removal, the volunteers are also focusing on behavioural change by reaching out to local residents and shopkeepers, urging them to refrain from littering and become stakeholders in preserving the ecological heritage of the area.
Amrai is not just an urban green patch. The site carries historical significance and is believed to date back to the Bhonsle era. It is home to heritage structures, including an old well said to have been constructed during the reign of Raghuji Raje Bhonsle I, making the restoration effort as much about protecting history as safeguarding the environment.
The volunteers have appealed to citizens, nature enthusiasts and community groups to participate in the ongoing campaign. They have also pledged to continue restoration and maintenance activities after the monsoon to ensure that the gains achieved through the drive are preserved for the long term.
For these young environmental champions, the mission extends beyond cleaning a forest stretch—it is about rebuilding a sense of civic responsibility and reconnecting the city with one of its forgotten natural treasures.
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