Cleanliness as Seva, Seva as Nation-Building: Department of Legal Affairs observes Swachhata Hi Seva 2025 with nationwide participation
Cleanliness as Seva, Seva as Nation-Building: Department of Legal Affairs observes Swachhata Hi Seva 2025 with nationwide participation
The corridors of Shastri Bhawan and its attached offices across the country echoed not just with brooms and brushes, but with a shared spirit of responsibility as the Department of Legal Affairs (DLA), Ministry of Law and Justice, observed Swachhata Hi Seva 2025 from 17th September to 2nd October, 2025. This year’s campaign unfolded as a series of activities that touched every aspect of the five core pillars of the nationwide movement — from the transformation of cleanliness target units to the cleaning of public spaces, from recognising Safai Mitras to creative expressions of cleanliness such as Swachhata Ki Rangolis, and advocacy for Swachhata.
The observance extended across the Main Secretariat and all attached and subordinate offices of DLA, including its four Branch Secretariats (in Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, and Mumbai), the Central Agency Section, the Law Commission of India, the Indian Law Institute, the India International Arbitration Centre (IIAC), and all benches of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), along with litigation sections at the Delhi High Court, CAT (PB) and Lower Court (Tis Hazari), Delhi.
What gave this campaign its true force was the scale of participation. 1,109 officers, officials, and staff members across all units of the Department joined the movement. Together, they transformed 69 Cleanliness Target Units, conducted 19 activities for Safai Mitras, organised 23 activities under Clean Green Utsav, carried out the cleaning of 43 public spaces, and held 24 Swachhata Advocacy activities including essay competitions, pledges, and awareness drives. These figures are not just numbers but stories of collective effort, each one reflecting dedication that stretched from courtrooms to corridors, from offices to open public places.
At the heart of this year’s observance was the nationwide call of “Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath” on the morning of 25th September, 2025. Union Law Secretary Dr. Anju Rathi Rana led officers, officials, staff, and Safai Mitras at the Main Secretariat in devoting an hour to voluntary shramdaan. Simultaneous drives were organised at the same time across all offices. The focus was not only on maintaining cleanliness, but also on sprucing up public places and tackling garbage points often left outside the scope of regular drives.
At the Main Secretariat, thoughtful initiatives were undertaken. A Selfie and Signature campaign drew enthusiastic participation, while all officers and staff collectively took the Swachhata Pledge. A large-scale cleanliness drive was also organised to get rid of e-waste from the Department. Celebrating the unsung heroes of Swachhata, the Department organised a special ceremony to honour those who keep our surroundings clean every single day — our Safai Mitras. The cleaning and sanitation staff of the Department were felicitated for their tireless service, and a free Health Check-Up Camp was organised for them under the supervision of medical experts, for their well-being.
The Clean Green Utsav found expression in Swachhata Ki Rangolis created by consultants, and interns in the busy lobbies of Shastri Bhawan. The vibrancy of it reminded passersby that cleanliness is not only labour but also celebration — something that can inspire joy in collective action. Advocacy for Swachhata took the form of words and reflection. Officers participated in an essay writing competition on the theme “Swachhata Hi Seva”, where prose and ideas carried forward the message that cleanliness must live as much in thought as in action.
Meanwhile, the Transformation of Cleanliness Target Units (CTUs) went beyond symbolism. Neglected garbage points, often left untouched during regular drives, were identified, targeted, and cleared.
The Department also marked the eve of Swachh Bharat Diwas with a Prabhat Pheri, where officers and staff stepped out on the roads carrying placards and banners for swachhata. Their presence served as a reminder that Gandhi Jayanti is not just about remembering the Father of the Nation, but about living his vision of cleanliness as a symbol of dignity.
Through these many acts — some strenuous, some artistic, some reflective — the Department of Legal Affairs sought to show that Swachhata Hi Seva is not a slogan for a season, but a practice for life. Cleanliness drives may end with the sweep of a broom, but the spirit they ignite must continue in daily choices. For in the small, steady acts of keeping spaces clean lies the larger dream of a self-reliant, developed India.
