A lawyer turned sarpanch is making waves in the remote village of Sadiwara in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district by offering gold coins in exchange for litter. Farooq Ahmad Ganai, the sarpanch of Sadiwara, initiated a cleanliness campaign in his village in 2020. He began by collecting garbage and litter from public places, roads, water bodies, playgrounds, and open fields for two hours a day. He aimed to make his village waste-free and promote cleanliness.

Ganai constructed community garbage pits, soakage pits, and ensured every house in his village has a dustbin. He banned the use of single-use polythene in the village and intends to replace them with paper and cloth bags. Ganai's efforts have led to an increase in the local population's participation in the cleanliness drive, with encouraging signs of people coming forward to collect garbage from public places and houses.

To encourage more people to participate in the cleanliness drive, Ganai started offering gold coins to people in exchange for litter. His wife has offered him 20 grams of gold to support this noble initiative. Ganai initially offered gold coins for 20 quintals of litter and waste and now offers gold coins for one quintal of plastic and polythene.

The public has responded favorably to Ganai's creative proposal to distribute gold coins, and he is optimistic that it will contribute to the town becoming litter-free. He promises to make his village panchayat green and garbage-free or by or before December 2023. The sarpanch is taking possession of the public property where the trash will be disposed of, divided, and recycled. Also, he is putting in diaper destroyers, which will be a first for J&K.

Farooq Ahmad Ganai's initiative is a shining example of how a simple idea can have a significant impact on the environment. His commitment to making his village waste-free is an inspiration to many, and his innovative idea of offering gold coins to people in exchange for litter is a unique way to promote cleanliness. His efforts are a reminder that we all have a role to play in keeping our surroundings clean and promoting sustainability.