The competition is called a race. However, everyone is wearing gloves and masks. Everyone has sacks in their hands. Everyone, young and old, is running with sacks. They are running wildly, collecting garbage found on the right and left sides of the road. This is the scene of the garbage collection open race competition organized by Vijayanagar Rural Municipality in the far west of the district.

7 quintals of 60 kg of garbage were collected in an hour in a competition organized by the rural municipality on Thursday with the aim of raising awareness about garbage collection. The organizers claim that the program was organized with the aim of motivating the community to collect garbage by identifying which items are garbage and motivating the villagers to clean up.

In the program, which was attended by a 7-year-old girl to a 62-year-old man, three people who collected the most garbage in the stipulated time were given cash prizes. Bivek Singh Chaudhary, who collected the most garbage by collecting 94.24 kg, came first in the competition. Ahmed Hussain, who collected 61.66 kg, came second. Asfag Ahmed, who collected 57.27 kg, came third. Rural Municipality Chairman Gopal Thapa presented Rs 10,000, Rs 7,000 and Rs 5,000 and certificates to all three.

The race, which started at 8 am on Thursday from Janata Basic School in Pathardeiya of the rural municipality, ended after reaching Jagdishpur police station. The garbage was collected from three villages and the corners of houses on the right and left sides of the road, covering a distance of one kilometer and 800 meters. Non-biodegradable garbage, plastic, glass, shoes and slippers, bottles, and gutka pieces were collected. Even in the scorching heat, the locals worked tirelessly to collect garbage. The rural municipality provided the bags for garbage collection.

A single person collected up to 3 bags of garbage. The rural municipality took the garbage to the dumping site and destroyed it by putting it on a tractor. The villagers also watched it with interest as it was a new and interesting program.

The rural municipality chairman Thapa said that the program was organized because he was excited to see that such message-oriented programs send the message that garbage can be cleaned and that the community can do it itself. ‘This year the program was very effective,’ he said, ‘We will expand it to the ward next year.’ The open garbage collection race competition sent a positive message that unity, harmony and coordination can automatically clean villages, villages and settlements rather than competition, said Himalal Bishwakarma, the rural municipality’s chief administrative officer. He said that many people are interested in the event as it provides a sports experience and physical labor, which also benefits the health.

The program was conducted targeting students as parents and the community will also get an opportunity to learn from them by mobilizing students and children to collect garbage, said Arjun Belbase, the rural municipality's water supply and sanitation coordinator. He said that this model program was conducted because if awareness is raised through students and children, the home, family, society, ward and municipality will get an opportunity to learn. 'The village and settlement are looking more beautiful after the garbage around the house and yard is removed,' he said. Before the

competition started, the rules were explained. 40 participants were given two soaps for washing clothes and bathing. Sapana Bik, a class 9 student at Newlagunj Basic School, said that she was very excited about collecting garbage and cleaning it with the new and message-oriented program. ‘I learned what garbage is and how to collect it from this race,’ she said. ‘Now I am excited to start cleaning my house.’