The fortnight-long celebrations of Sewa Parv mark a significant step in redefining the role of community work in building sustainable and inclusive urban spaces. With the Lieutenant Governor laying the foundation stone for 60 projects under AMRUT 2.0 worth nearly Rs 700 crore, the event underscored the strong linkage between governance, infrastructure, and community participation. What stands out in this celebration is not just the volume of projects announced but the spirit of engagement that was cultivated across different sections of society. Cleanliness drives, awareness campaigns against drugs, health camps, and initiatives targeting plastic waste are not one-off symbolic acts; they reflect a collective realisation that urban challenges require consistent citizen involvement. Cleanliness, for instance, cannot be reduced to a two-week activity. It has to become a cultural habit, where every household contributes daily to maintaining hygiene and protecting the environment.
Equally significant is the emphasis on reaching the marginalised and ensuring that no one is left behind. What may appear as small acts of help-be it distribution of welfare scheme benefits or internships for students-can often transform lives in the long run. These gestures instil confidence among vulnerable groups that they are not forgotten in the larger developmental narrative.
The rapid pace of urbanisation in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir, like in the rest of India, throws up serious questions of sustainability. Smart urban planning is not a luxury but a necessity. Green colonies, effective waste management systems, and scientific urban landscaping are not only desirable but crucial to ensure liveable cities in the decades ahead. The larger message of Sewa Parv is clear: infrastructure, governance, and technology can only achieve their true purpose when citizens embrace a sense of ownership. Public spaces thrive when people care for them; environmental rules are effective only when communities actively enforce them. The fortnight has been eventful, but its real success will lie in whether the spirit of service continues beyond these celebrations. Sewa Parv has delivered an important lesson-that community work, when pursued with continuity and conviction, can become the foundation of better living conditions and a sustainable urban future. Such consistent efforts are the need of the hour.
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