It was nobly intentioned and got the support of a huge number of people. But a look at the garbage strewn around after the event and you realize that the Save the Environment marathon organized by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in India (ICAI) betrayed its very cause. A prelude to their diamond jubilee celebration, the Save the Environment marathon, organized here Sunday by ICAI, was flagged off by chief minister Sheila Dikshit and drew a huge crowd.

This was an all-India event. ICAI has 117 branches across the country and we organized the Save Environment campaign in all these places. Although we will be having health check ups, motivational programmes et al during the celebrations, environment was the foremost issue we wanted to take up considering the alarming implications of global warming, Shalini, spokesperson of Ved Jain, president of ICAI, told IANS.

However, pictures flashed across newspapers Monday about the large amount of garbage - sheets of paper and plastic bags - strewn around after the marathon on the India Gate lawns, where the event took place, posed a serious question about the aim of such events which dont serve their purpose.

Anand Tiwari, spokesperson of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), said they have provisions of issuing chalans or fining individuals who litter public places but were not aware of this particular incident at India Gate.

We were not aware of this incident otherwise we fine such people who litter public places, Tiwari said.

Shying away from the reports, Shalini said they had a team to clean up the mess after the event got over.