Nagpur youth walks the extra mile for environment

Plans to tour Nagaland over the next 30 days

Our Correspondent
Kohima, July 14 (EMN): As the world grapples with plastic pollution that is causing a colossal damage to the environment and the government of India having banned such items in the country, Rohan Agrawal, son of a juice vendor from Nagpur, is walking the extra mile with a mission to help curb this menace.

The 20-year-old student from Maharashtra reached Kohima on Tuesday, July 12, after covering more than 50,000 km — 40,000 km by hitchhiking and 10,000 km walking on foot – travelling on the road for more than 700 days.

Over the past few days, he is visiting schools and other institutions in Kohima, creating awareness about human beings contributing about 5.5 million metric tons of plastics to the ocean, which is causing various environmental problems.

He told Eastern Mirror on Thursday that he will be visiting different districts of Nagaland as well over the next 30 days.

Agrawal, who advocates 4Rs — refuse, reuse, reduce and recycle — of plastic items, said that his mission is to spread awareness on the environmental hazards posed by use of plastics, while maintaining that it is the moral duty of every individual to conserve the environment.

The youth said that his journey is akin to the ancient India Gurukul culture of journey called ‘Destan’ which was undertaken to understand different religions, languages, culture and people to broaden one’s outlook of life.

He said the main objectives of his journey are to create awareness about the “misuse and misconceptions of plastic,” and also to learn about different cultures, religions, languages and people, as well as spread the message of “unity in diversity”.

What makes his mission unique is that he left his home with just a backpack and INR 2500 in his wallet; embarking on a solo journey without sponsorship from any agency. He has managed to travel thus far with the support of well-wishers and good Samaritans he meets along the way. He said that he contacts his family once a week.

Agrawal said that he had covered more than 20 Indian states and union territories, including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Goa, Puducherry, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, and now – Nagaland.

He also meets policy makers, politicians, students, educators and the common people during the journey and is said to have met politicians like chief ministers of Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, and a former chief minister of Sikkim.

Besides spreading awareness on the ill-effects of plastic use, he also takes time to dispel rumours and spread the message of humanity and brotherhood to the people and to unite India.

Sharing about the most challenging experience he has faced so far, the young recalled walking alone for 20 hours in the Great Himalayan Forest in Madhya Pradesh, with no mobile phone network, food, or any sign of human civilisation but snakes and animals.

Luckily, a truck came to my rescue and dropped me to a place where I managed to get food and shelter, he said.

He also recalled encountering a thief who attempted to rob him at gun point in Uttar Pradesh. But after pleading and explaining about his mission, the robber gave up his plan and instead offered him a lift.

His next plan is to go beyond the shores.

‘Later, I will walk to Omyakom in Siberia where the temperature is -72 degree and it is the coldest place on earth, and I could be the first Indian to reach there from India. On the way to Siberia, I will also be crossing about 12-13 South Asian countries,’ he said.