Media Release
Mangaluru, Oct 26: In response to the call given to the nation by the prime minister and also special request from Government of India, Ramakrishna Mission initiated ‘Swachh Mangaluru Abhiyan’ two and a half years ago. Tremendous positive response from the people for this initiative since its inception vouches the fact that this movement is by the people and for the people and hence is successfully stepping into the 4th phase. The 4th phase of this Abhiyan will be held on November 3, 4 and 5. As a continuation of the previous 3 drives, the 4th phase is more comprehensive and involves more sectors.
Swachh Mangaluru – Daily Abhiyan
The 4th phase will see 60 groups of awakened citizens visiting 50000 households in 10 months with the message of awareness. One of the 60 groups, by turns, will undertake door-to-door campaign from 5 pm to 7 pm in different areas of Mangaluru every evening. They will distribute handbills on awareness; train the households about segregation of garbage, solid waste management, involving public in different localities in Swachhata Abhiyan and community development.
Swachh Bharath – Shramadan
A group of dedicated volunteers numbering from 100 to 200 will take up cleanliness drives on every Sunday for the next 40 weeks in different parts of Mangaluru city from 7 am to 10 am. Along with cleaning roads and public places, they will also clean drains, distribute awareness handbills, cleaning public toilets, erecting direction sign boards, repair and renovation of bus shelters, auto shelters and removing illegal flex banners and hoardings and other works benefitting the common public.
Swachh Manas – Student Training Programme
To train the present students/children into responsible citizens of the future, Ashram will undertake Swachh Manas training and orientation programmes in about 100 schools in and around Mangalore city. About 500 programmes will be organised in one year. The students will be trained in cleanliness, hygiene etc. About 5 students will be selected from each school as Agents of Change and they will be given special training through seminars and workshops to involve them in the nation building process. A dedicated band of trainers will work on this project. This will also include swachhata Abhiyans in the premises of the respective schools.
Swachh Gram: Swacch Dakshina Kannada
Past three drives were centered around Mangaluru city and its cleanliness. The 4th phase will be expanded to include about 100 villages in Dakshina Kannada dist. This will be carried out in association with zilla panchayat and other interested public in the respective village. About 1000 cleanliness drives and awareness campaigns will be conducted in 100 villages in the next 10 months. About 100 volunteers will be selected in each village under a coordinator. They will be given cleanliness equipments, T-shirts, gloves and other materials supportive of the cause. Each village will see 10 such drives on any one Sunday in a month.
Preparations are going in full swing to launch the programme and we are getting very good response from the public as well.
Launching off 4th Phase of Abhiyan
November 3 will see the launching off of Swachh Dakshina Kannada at 10 am. Ramesh Jigajinagi, union minister for state for drinking water and sanitation will be the chief guest and will flag off Swachh Dakshina Kannada in a special programme in ashram auditorium. D R Patil, former MLA, Gadag will be special guest. Dr M R Ravi, CEO, D K zilla panchayat will deliver the keynote address and Swami Jitakamanandaji will be delivering the benedictory address. Each village will be represented by scores of representatives in the programme on that day.
November 4 at 9.30 am: Swachh Manas programme will be launched by Swami Muktidanandaji, Trustee, Ramakrishna Math and Mission and president of Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata will flag of the programme. Swami Sarvasthanandaji, president, Ramakrishna Ashrama, Rajkot and Prof Raghothama Rao of Bengaluru will be the resource persons. Swami Jitakamanandaji will be delivering the key note address. About 600 Engineering students will participate in the Swachh Manas programme on that day.
November 5 at 9 am: Ananth Kumar Hegde, union minister of state for skill development will flag off the Swachh Mangaluru Abhiyan on that day in the presence of Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP of Dakshina Kannada. Swami Muktidanandaji, trustee of Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Kumar H, MD of MRPL and Dr N Vinay Hegde, chancellor of Nitte University will be special Invitees. Capt Ganesh Karnik, mentor of the Abhiyan will be present.