Several organisations, including KIOCL, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and Indian Coast Guard, carried out cleaning activities as part of ‘Ek Tareek Ek Ghanta’ campaign held on Sunday in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.
The KIOCL personnel and their family members took part in the cleaning activity held near Kuloor bridge, Mangala Circle, and on Tannirbhavi Road in Mangaluru. The participants cleared bushes, which were blocking the vision of the motorists crossing National Highway 66.
Inaugurating the cleaning programme, KIOCL chairman-cum-managing director T. Saminathan said the KIOCL had been regularly holding the cleaning programme since 2014. In the last one month, KIOCL’s Swachh Bharath Abhiyan Committee constructed toilets, distributed hygienic kits, and carried out cleaning activities on the KIOCL premises, KIOCL township, and surrounding areas. The company was working to realise the dream of Mahatma Gandhi to free the country of waste, he said.
At Bajpe
Personnel of Airport Security Group of CISF, students of Sri Niranjana Swami Polytechnic and others took part in the cleaning activity held at Bajpe bus stand, Bajpe vegetable market, and near Adyapady school. The CISF officials led by senior commandant and Chief Airport Security Officer V.M. Joshi interacted with panchayat personnel and local residents to emphasise maintaining the area clean and not to dumping waste haphazardly.
At Panambur
More than 700 people took part in the cleaning activity held by the Indian Coast Guard Headquarters (Karnataka) at Panambur and Tannirbhavi beaches. Members of the Lions Club, Mangaluru, and students from a few government schools and private colleges took part in the activity. Apart from removing litter, plastic waste, and other debris, the participants were involved in tree planting exercise at the two beaches.
Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal, chief guest of the event, appreciated the Coast Guard’s initiative in holding community-driven cleanliness activity. Deputy Inspector-General P.K. Mishra, District Commander, Coast Guard District Headquarters (Karnataka), said such initiatives were essential to raise awareness about the need to protect natural resources and ecosystems.
Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer K. Anandh took part in the cleaning activity organised by the Mangaluru Taluk Panchayat at Gurupura. Dr. Anandh joined other volunteers to sweep the streets by holding a broom and also collected roadside waste.
The staff and students of the National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, took part in the cleaning activity at Surathkal on Sunday as part of the campaign. Among those who took part were NITK Director B. Ravi and Mangaluru City Corporation councillor Shobha Rajesh, an official release said.
Officers and staff of the regional office of the Employees Provident Fund Organisation, Mangaluru, carried out cleaning activity outside their office at Highlands.
Among the cleaning drives held in Udupi district, were the beach cleaning drive held at Aasare beach in Udupi taluk. Udupi Deputy Commissioner K. Vidyakumari, Udupi Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer H Prasanna, and Kundapur Assistant Commissioner S.R. Rashmi took part.