The historic Sonegaon orchard, believed to be more than 300 years old and dating back to the Bhonsle era, has been declared waste-free following an extensive cleanliness campaign carried out jointly by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), Vrukshit Foundation and the Save Sonegaon Amrai Group.
The drive, conducted between June 5 and June 21, led to the removal of over 12,262 kg of waste from the heritage site by volunteers of the Vrukshit Foundation. Members of the Save Sonegaon Amrai Group also contributed significantly, clearing nearly 1,500 kg of waste during separate clean-up efforts over the last two months.
As part of the initiative, volunteers also cleaned a historic stepwell dating back to the Bhonsle period, recovering thousands of discarded bottles and other waste materials from the structure.
The campaign was undertaken under the guidance of Shivani Dani Wakhare, Chairperson of the NMC Standing Committee. Key contributors from the Vrukshit Foundation included founder Aparna Raykawad along with volunteers Lokesh Thota, Yash Sarpotdar, Ritvik Savhane and Urvil Dhurve. The efforts of the Save Sonegaon Amrai Group were coordinated by its convenor, Sachin Dravekar.
Volunteers involved in the campaign said indiscriminate littering by visitors and anti-social elements had severely impacted the ecological and heritage value of the orchard over the years. Following the successful clean-up, senior citizens and youth volunteers have pledged to continue regular maintenance drives to keep the area clean.
They have also appealed to visitors to act responsibly and help preserve the orchard’s rich historical significance and natural beauty for future generations.
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