In Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, the garbage on the roadside was difficult to miss. What was easier to do was walk past it.

Manvi Rawat and Anshika Gaur, two schoolgirls from the hill town, chose a different response. Instead of waiting for someone else to clean up, they began picking up litter themselves. Their efforts did not immediately win them support. 

People mocked them for what they were doing, turning a simple attempt to clean their surroundings into a test of whether they would continue despite the criticism.

What began as a small cleanup effort grew into Pauri Eco Warriors, a student-led environmental initiative that brings young people together to tackle litter and plastic pollution. Today, the group has grown beyond its two founders, with more than 40 student members and around 15 to 18 volunteers participating in each cleanup drive.

Their work has also moved beyond collecting waste. Through plantation initiatives, sapling distribution, and Maulyaar, a community festival built around........

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