https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

How Silluk Village and IAS Kinny Singh Turned Trash into a National Lesson

Once mocked as “Poop Village,” Silluk’s bold clean-up led by locals and IAS Kinny Singh now inspires schoolchildren nationwide through textbooks and a new wave of pride.
Indian Masterminds Stories

In the far reaches of Arunachal Pradesh, tucked away in East Siang district, lies Silluk, a village that was once an eyesore and is now a lesson for every schoolchild in India. Once mocked as “Gobar Basti” (Poop Village) for its open cattle rearing and streets clogged with knee-deep waste, Silluk today stands proudly in the pages of the NCERT’s CBSE Class 3 Environmental Studies (EVS) textbook. Its story is now part of Chapter 12, Taking Charge of Waste, inspiring young minds to believe that real change starts at home.

THE SPARK OF A QUIET REBELLION

Silluk’s transformation did not come from a grand scheme handed down from above; it began when a young local from the Adi tribe, decided he had seen enough filth, enough disease, enough shame. In 2019, he rallied his neighbours and kicked off what would become the Swachh Silluk Abhiyan (SSA), a grassroots mission to reclaim the village’s dignity, health, and future.

What began as a few brooms and determined hearts soon swept across the village. Silluk’s streets were cleared, cattle were managed, and waste segregation became a habit, not a burden. Neighbours held each other accountable; children carried forward the message. What they cleaned was not just garbage; they cleaned up years of neglect and cynicism.

KINNY SINGH, THE OFFICER WHO LISTENED

No people’s movement truly grows without someone in power willing to listen. For Silluk, that someone was Kinny Singh, then Deputy Commissioner of East Siang. While files moved and meetings were held, Kinny Singh stepped beyond the usual circle of bureaucracy and gave Silluk’s efforts the official support they needed.

Under her watch, government departments lent a hand, funds were allocated, and the village’s transformation was not dismissed as just another publicity stunt. Her presence gave credibility to the villagers’ fight and gave them the push to dream bigger.

RECOGNITION, AWARDS, AND A GROWING DREAM

Silluk’s efforts did not stop with sweeping streets. In a few years, the village that once repelled visitors began attracting tourists. Today, it wears three State Awards with pride and holds the prestigious 11th Balipara Foundation Award… honours that tell India what’s possible when people take charge.

When 12-year-olds flip through their EVS textbooks, they now read about Silluk alongside their lessons on waste management. The once-forgotten village has become a chapter in India’s classrooms.

A CLEAN VILLAGE AND A NEW BEGINNING

Today, Silluk’s roads are clear. Children run without stumbling over filth. Cattle are cared for but no longer roam unchecked. Visitors come to see not just a clean village but a community that proved cynics wrong.

“This is not just Silluk’s success, this is Arunachal Pradesh’s moment to stand tall. A village once buried in waste now shows India the way,” Dr. Kinny Singh shared in an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds.

Behind the brooms and awards is the quiet but pivotal role of the determined IAS officer, whose timely intervention helped an entire village flip its story. Together, a restless villager and a listening officer sparked a clean revolution, the kind that textbooks talk about and children remember.

From “Gobar Basti” to Zero Waste Village, Silluk reminds us all: sometimes, the biggest changes begin when someone simply says, enough is enough.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
Devendra Kumar Tiwari Alka Tiwari  IAS Jharkhand
First IAS Couple in India to Hold Both Chief Secretary & State Election Commissioner Posts Consecutively - Know This Powerful Pair
Policing, Trust, and Investment: Insights from IPF - Indian Masterminds
Indian Police Foundation Marks 10 Years, Discussion on How Policing Builds Investor Confidence
Madhya Pradesh football training
Mini Brazil to Germany: Vicharpur’s Young Footballers Get CM Mohan Yadav’s Blessings on Vijayadashami Week
bureaucracy news
Centre Announces Key Bureaucratic Appointments & Deputation Extensions: Neeraj Surendran, Arun G, Anand Mohan Among Key Names
PM Modi CM Nitish Kumar
Bihar Receives Rs. 10,219 Crore from Centre: A Festive Gift On Vijayadashami to Fuel Development & Welfare, Backed by GST Reforms
Chhattisgarh government
Chhattisgarh CM Charts Development Roadmap: Push for Capital Expenditure, Biometric Attendance, & Transparent Governance
Vishnu Deo Sai CM
Chhattisgarh Gets Rs. 3,462 Crore Boost from Modi Government: Here's How CM Sai Pledges To Spend It!
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Ravikant Meena on IFS Preparation, Optionals, and Life in Forest Service
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
How Siddhartha Saxena Cracked UPSC CAPF AIR 326 Against All Odds
Dr. S.K
Technology Meets Ecology: IFS Dr S K Srivastava’s Game-Changing Innovations in Forest Management | Eco Warrior Awards 2025 Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Live Interaction
From Cut-off Dates to Coaching & Reforms: UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Assures Aspirants of Fairness, Transparency & a Future-Ready UPSC | UPSC@100
A Century of Service: The UPSC’s Landmark Year Begins. Chairman Ajay Kumar on UPSC’s Centennial: “Merit,...
Giriraj Parihar MPPSC 2024
From Constable to Deputy Collector: Giriraj Parihar’s 9-Year MPPSC Journey | Farmer’s Son, Brother to Five Sisters
From a jail guard to MPPSC 2024 Rank 8, Giriraj Parihar’s nine-year journey of self-study, hard work,...
Ankit MPPSC 2024 Rank 3
From Village Dreams to Deputy Collector’s Chair: Meet Ankit, MPPSC Rank 3 Hindi Medium Topper
Ankit, a Hindi-medium aspirant from Balaghat, secured Rank 3 in MPPSC 2024 and became Deputy Collector...
Social Media
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
Parag Madhukar Dhakate
Relentless Rains Wreak Havoc in Dehradun: IFS officer PM Dhakate Warns Citizens Amid Flash Floods
Cloudbursts in Dehradun triggered flash floods. IFS officer Dr. PM Dhakate warned citizens to stay indoors...
Forest Guard Tiger Encounter
Tigers Clash in the Wild as Forest Guards Capture Rare Footage , Retired IFS Mohan Pargaien Posts Viral Video
Retired IFS officer Mohan Pargaien shares viral video of three tigers brawling in Ramnagar, as forest...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
Devendra Kumar Tiwari Alka Tiwari  IAS Jharkhand
First IAS Couple in India to Hold Both Chief Secretary & State Election Commissioner Posts Consecutively - Know This Powerful Pair
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
Dr. S.K
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT