Latest news with #Hubertina
Indian Express
01-07-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Meet Ellis Hubertina, the 69-year-old Dutch woman cleaning Kashmir's Dal Lake on her own for last 5 years
A heartwarming video of a Dutch woman gently rowing her boat across Srinagar's Dal Lake while picking up trash has touched thousands across the internet. The woman, identified as Ellis Hubertina Spaanderman, 69, is not just a tourist doing a good deed; she is someone who made Kashmir her home more than two decades ago, according to Hindustan Times. Hubertina first arrived in the valley nearly 25 years ago as a traveller, but the breathtaking beauty of the region convinced her to stay. Over time, she grew deeply connected to Dal Lake, both spiritually and emotionally. But as the lake's condition started to worsen, she felt compelled to act. 'Dal Lake gave me peace when I needed it. Now it's my turn to give back,' she told The Wire. For the past five years, she has been quietly working to clean the lake, one discarded bottle and plastic bag at a time. A recent clip,widely shared by local journalists and community pages, shows her calmly gliding through the water, picking out trash and loading it onto her small boat. The simplicity of the gesture has sparked an outpouring of admiration. 'Kudos to Dutch national Ellis Hubertina Spaanderman for her selfless efforts in cleaning Srinagar's Dal Lake… This dedication inspires us to preserve Kashmir's natural beauty,' wrote the Kashmir Right Forum on X, as it shared the video. Kudos to Dutch national Ellis Hubertina Spaanderman for her selfless efforts in cleaning Srinagar's Dal Lake for past 5 years. This dedication serves as an inspiration to preserve Kashmir's natural beauty. Let's join hands to keep our paradise clean & pristine. @ddprsrinagar — Kashmir Rights Forum🍁 (@kashmir_right) June 29, 2025 But Hubertina's efforts are not limited to the lake. A passionate cyclist and nature enthusiast, she is often seen cycling through the streets of Srinagar, encouraging people to adopt greener, healthier lifestyles. Her Instagram offers a window into her life in Kashmir, featuring not just stunning views and cultural moments but also regular updates on her cleanup missions. In one of her recent posts, she shared a photo of herself cleaning the lake and wrote: 'Cleaning up Kashmir, please, help me. Never underestimate the power of the smallest actions… Don't point fingers, don't blame either at other people (tourists or locals) or governments… Instead do your own part by not throwing your waste everywhere, even collecting some waste of others as I do.' A post shared by Ellis Hubertina from Kashmir (@ellishubertina) She continues to document her cleanup drives around various parts of Kashmir, inspiring others to take initiative.
Hindustan Times
30-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
69-year-old Dutch woman collects trash from Srinagar's Dal Lake, earns praise. Watch
A viral video showing a Dutch woman on a boat picking up trash from Srinagar's Dal Lake has won hearts online. The foreigner, identified as 69-year-old Ellis Hubertina, has reportedly spent over two decades around Dal Lake and is now working to save the iconic lake's beauty. She first came to Kashmir nearly 25 years ago as a traveller but chose to stay, touched by the beauty of the valley. The clip shared on social media showed the foreigner slowly floating the boat and gathering plastic bags and used bottles from the lake.(X/kashmir_right) However, seeing the deteriorating condition of the Dal Lake, she decided to take matters into her own hands. 'As long as I have strength in my arms and breath in my body, I will keep rowing. Dal Lake gave me peace when I needed it. Now it's my turn to give back," she told The Wire. The clip shared on social media by local journalists and groups showed Hubertina slowly floating the boat and gathering plastic bags and used bottles from the lake, collecting them on her boat. Take a look at the video here: "Kudos to Dutch national Ellis Hubertina Spaanderman for her selfless efforts in cleaning Srinagar's Dal Lake for the past five years. This dedication inspires us to preserve Kashmir's natural beauty. Let's join hands to keep our paradise clean and pristine," Kashmir Right Forum said, sharing her video. The Dutch national claimed that when she first visited Dal Lake, the water was cleaner and there was no garbage. 'What breaks my heart is that this plastic wasn't here when I first came to Kashmir. Dal was clearer. The water was cleaner. Now, every day, I pick up garbage that will take hundreds of years to decompose," she added. Her efforts have earned praise from locals and tourists alike. A local vendor called her an inspiration to all residents and especially tourists. "It's shameful that someone from so far away cares more about our lake than some of us who live here," he added.
