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After PM's praise, Kashmiri rag-picker boy's joy sees no bounds

18-year-old was appointed Srinagar's civic ambassador in July
Last Updated 24 September 2017, 14:54 IST

Bilal Dar, an 18-year-old rag-picker, who was appointed by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) as its brand ambassador for its ‘Swachata' (cleanliness) drive in July, Sunday said his joy has no bounds after being praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his widely broadcast programme of ‘Mann Ki Baat.’

“I congratulate the SMC for choosing Bilal Ahmad Dar as the brand ambassador of its ‘Swachata’ programme. You may think he is a known actor or sports hero. No, Dar since the age of twelve has been engaged in the cleanliness of Asia’s largest lake Wullar near Srinagar,” Modi said in the programme.

Dar, a resident of Laharwarpora in north Kashmir's Bandipora district, has been removing plastic trash from Asia's largest fresh water body - Wullar lake - for the last five years and selling it for around Rs 150-200 per day, which helps him support his mother Mughali and two sisters. Dar’s father Mohammad Ramzan Dar, a ragpicker on the Wular himself, died of cancer in 2003.

After praise by Prime Minister Dar said his joy has no bounds. "If Prime Minister of the country has taken notice of my work, there can't be more satisfaction than that. I am happy and would like to continue my work with full dedication," he told reporters.

Dar features in a documentary ‘Saving the saviour – Story of kid and Wular lake.” The documentary depicts the life of Dar, who became an orphan at the age of nine after his father died of life-threatening disease. It tells as how he earns from selling waste to feed his family comprising mother and sister.

His plight came to the notice of government during a function organized in June month by the SMC.  During the function, a PDP minister had announced that government will meet all expenses for the construction of a residential house for a family of the boy.

The SMC Commissioner Shafqat Khan while terming Dar as an inspiration for everybody said, "He has shown the way to the people how to overcome the miseries and live a happy life."

"He has been earning his livelihood by cleaning the Wular lake and removing garbage, used bottles and shoes among other things for many years now. He tells people the story of his life, his work in Wullar and his commitment to environmental causes," he told DH.

Asked why they choose him as brand ambassador, Khan said, "We want to fulfil the dream of making a 'swach' country. Our Prime Minister's direction to us will be carried forward in letter and spirit."

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(Published 24 September 2017, 14:48 IST)

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