40 kg of waste in 2.5 hours: How Pune Ploggers helped clean city after Palkhi processions

He said that most of the waste was located near the temporary food and water distribution areas around Shaniwar Wada.

But for volunteers like Jain, this was not a one-off gesture. It is part of a growing commitment among Pune’s youth to clean up their city, one plogging at a time — a quiet transformation that has been sweeping through the city.

Pune Ploggers was launched in October 2019 by Vivek Gurav, an environmental and solutions consultant from Jaysingpur. The initiative was sparked by the growing pollution in the city. “After seeing the irresponsible dumping of waste in rivers, I realised the real problem was in the city. It needed a movement that brought people together,” Gurav said.

Co-founder Bhushan More echoes the urgency that shaped the idea. “The flash floods during those years made us realise the need for a wider initiative that involves and brings citizens together,” he said.

Since then, the movement has grown to over 20,000 volunteers with chapters across India and the UK. In Pune, they have conducted hundreds of clean-up drives across JM Road, Koregaon Park, Taljai Hills, ARAI Tekdi, and Hanuman Tekdi. The model is simple: jog while picking up litter.

“You pick up litter, save the planet, burn calories, and drop your ego. Most people think this kind of work is beneath them but once they join us, that changes,” More asserted.

For Sakshi Jain, 26, it began during the Covid-19 pandemic with a walk along the Mula Mutha River and a desire to make the city cleaner. A friend introduced her to the community, and she now helps organise clean-up drives as part of the core team.

Regarding the type of waste they collect during clean-up drives, Jain said, “On the streets, it is mostly plastic wrappers, coffee cups, and cigarette butts while on riverbeds, we have found everything from textile waste, deity idols, and medical syringes.”

More pointed out that biomedical waste is also a recurring issue across most areas of the city.

“We often come across single-use plastic, disposable food packaging, textile waste, religious offerings, and alcohol bottles,” he added.

According to internal estimates, the group has collected over two million kilograms of waste, with about 30 per cent being recycled and the rest for segregation and responsible management.

Jain said their consistency is making an impact. She said, “We have been at it for five years now, and people are beginning to notice.”

But for the founder, it is more than just clean-ups but it is about creating impact through awareness and community.

The initiative is personal for Gurav who said, “I come from a farming family affected by climate change. This gives citizens like us a voice and to be part of the solution.”