Keeping It Green

I met up with Lobsang, my editor from Contact magazine asking if I could take some photos for the Voluntary Clean-Up around McLeod Ganj to celebrate World Earth Day which is taking place on 22nd April.

Now this is not something that I do every Saturday morning, but armed with my camera, I joined up with about 60 people at 10am at the bus stand. Clearly the organisers did not expect such a big turn-out and the bus was packed both inside and on the roof, while cars and motorbikes ferried the stragglers.

The group was made up of predominantly of non-locals, a sizeable Tibetan contingent and a few local Indians; ironic as this is probably an exact reverse of the litterbug culprits. Germans, and Australia were particular well represented, but the international group I was working with also included a Norwegian, two Americans and a Latvian. Split into 10 teams the bus dropped each group off at various points between he Tibetan Children´s Village and Dal Lake which lie to the west of McLeod Ganj.

Volunteer clean-ups have occurred on a regular basis over the last 10 years, but this was a new area for them. It was a completely dirty and smelly made worse by a break in the irrigation pipes that turned the ground muddy despite the burning sun overhead.

Many bags of garbage were separated into dry and wet waste where possible and lots of old clothes and shoes left in the sun to dry out and take to local charities.

Despite only being attendance as a photographer I lend a hand – although made more difficult by having to lug my camera bag around, and only equipped with sandals on my feet.

The unpleasant job is lightened by the look of astonishment and bemusement on the faces of Indians who are passing us in cars, with looks of pure wonder at these “foreigners” doing the work of Untouchables. I felt like inviting them to join in!


I am interviewed on camera by the local news-team. Filled with loads of clichés and platitudes, I certainly won´t be surfing the TV tonight!

It is a shame that it is left to volunteers to clean up the mountainside. Surely this should be left in the realms of local authorities? Indians in particular, need to be educated in environmental awareness. I also liked the approach in Shimla, whereby heavy fines were introduced and implemented for littering. People would think twice before throwing out their garbage on the streets and on the mountainside.

Getting back to the village at about 4pm I am totally dehydrated and hungry, but I don´t dare to go into a café, shop or restaurant as I stink.

There is another clean-up session on Wednesday targeting McLeod Ganj itself. I hope that our efforts earn a lot of good karma.