Sanjay Mundhra
Meet Sanjay Mundhra, a volunteer championing cleaner public spaces in Singapore. Read about his efforts to inspire others to take shared responsibility for our environment.
Firm believer of joint responsibility in keeping Singapore clean
Photo Caption: Sanjay participating in a litter-picking activity with his fellow volunteer.
Sanjay Mundhra is passionate about keeping Singapore clean.
Every fortnight, the spry 56-year-old Account Support Manager at Hewlett Packard Enterprise goes on patrols with fellow volunteers at littering hotspots, such as Chinatown and Orchard Road, to remind the public to bin their trash properly and return their food trays after meals at public eateries.
He also organises regular litter-picking activities and hosts community talks, to spread awareness on the importance of keeping our environment clean.
Photo Caption: Sanjay (2nd from left, back row) at a litter-picking activity with Tampines East Zone 4 Residents' Network.
Sanjay’s journey as an advocate for public cleanliness started in 2016, when he realised how much Singaporeans – including himself – rely on the cleaning workforce to clean up after us. He felt strongly that it should not be the sole responsibility of cleaners to maintain the cleanliness of our streets and other public spaces in Singapore.
That was the turning point, and he decided to become an active participant in keeping Singapore clean while inspiring others to do the same. “While Singapore is clean, there’s always room for improvement”, quips Sanjay.
While there have been improvements, there have also been bumps in the journey to educating others on public hygiene and cleanliness. Sanjay shared that youths in particular, perhaps due to their more rebellious nature, are harder to win over. Despite the challenges, Sanjay managed to touch their hearts by showing them the negative impact of unsanitary public spaces in Singapore, and how this could pose a public health threat to all of us. He explains: “When you show them places that are heavily littered, they realise that this is not how they want Singapore to be.”
With 2024 designated as the Year of Public Hygiene by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, Sanjay hopes that more residents will realise the importance of maintaining public hygiene and cleanliness of our shared spaces, and will appreciate our cleaning workforce who work quietly and diligently to keep Singapore clean.