Baku, September 28, AZERTAC A tree-planting event as part of ‘Cleanliness is service’ campaign will be held this week by the Indian community and Azerbaijani students, informed the Embassy of India in Baku. This drive is being held in the context of ‘Swachhta Hi Seva (SHS)’, which means ‘Cleanliness is service’, campaign being run in India from 15 September to 2 October 2017. This will commemorate the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi which is internationally observed every year on 2 October as the UN approved the International Day of Non-Violence. Ambassador of India Sanjay Rana shared that Mahatma Gandhi had believed in importance of cleanliness and had once famously said “Cleanliness is Godliness”. Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has launched a campaign throughout India to fight dirtiness and change old habits like open defecation to achieve a clean India by 2019 to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Prime Minister Modi has encouraged building of toilets in all homes in villages of India to stop the practice of open defecation.On September 15, 2017, President of India, Mr. Ram Nath Kovind launched a nationwide sanitation campaign (SHS) in India whereby the people resolved to create a clean and healthy India. President Kovind said that the cleanliness was not the responsibility of only sanitation personnel and government departments and urged all citizens to join in this national movement. The Clean India Mission and SHS campaign have generated a strong interest among the people, particularly among the youth, and this campaign has become very popular throughout India. As an indication of its popularity, a recent Bollywood film titled “Toilet – Ek Prem Katha” based on the Clean India Mission witnessed considerable box office success.Ambassador Rana said that Mahatma Gandhi’s message of peace and tolerance is valid even today; His idea about nature and cleanliness are relevant for all times and places. It was informed that in the context of 'Swachhta Hi Seva' campaign, a cleanliness drive and tree planting event will be held at Botanical Garden near Baku on Sunday, 1 October, 2017 with participation of the Indian Association in Azerbaijan, local NGOs and Azerbaijani students.