Marathon Runners make a Mess- Ramakrishna Math Volunteers Clean It?

Marathon Runners make a Mess- Ramakrishna Math Volunteers Clean It?

Even though we all learn by our mistakes, but unfortunately when it comes to the Nitte Mangaluru Marathon the same mistakes are committed year after year- and I am talking about the large amount of garbage left behind on the route of the marathon, in the gutters/drains and also around the area where the breakfast is served to the marathon runners. The photographs in this report will speak the truth. Well, the marathon was a success with nearly 15-16 thousand participants taking part, but I guess all these educated participants never bothered to believe in the ‘Swachh Bharath Abhiyan’ that has been promoted for a cleaner India, and for that matter, Cleaner Mangaluru.

Every Sunday dedicated and committed volunteers belonging to the Ramakrishna Math ‘Swachh Mangaluru’ campaign go around the city cleaning the garbage left behind by ignorant citizens of Mangaluru, and every other Sunday this month, there had been three Marathons, including today’s where the runners threw away empty plastic water bottles and other goodies supplied to them during the run. I guess the marathoners already forgot PM Modi’s words when he had said, “Is cleaning only the responsibility of the karamcharis? Do citizens of India have no role in this? We have to change this mindset. We reached Mars. No PM or Minister went. It was the people who did it, our scientists who did it. So can’t we create a Clean India?. If this is evaluated by a photo-opportunity, then we would be doing a disservice to the nation. We all must come together and do this (clean India) wherever we are. This is not about Modi… Modi is only one of its 1.3 billion people… This is a people’s task. India can do it. People of India can do it”.

What a Mess it was this morning? Marathoners Disrespecting ‘Namma Mangaluru, Swachha Mangaluru’ Campaign- If you were wondering why some of the streets and gutters were filled with thrash comprising of empty plastic water bottles/peels of oranges/pieces of paper name tags etc- then the blame should go on these educated youth and children of respected institutions who ran in this marathon. This complaint is just not mine, but of all the citizens who saw this happen right in front of their eyes- and these runners didn’t give a damn about it when they were advised about their mistakes by these elder citizens of Mangaluru – and me being one of them.

An elderly group of volunteers who were engaged in the “Swacch Mangaluru” campaign near PVS circle were very much upset and mad when these runners made a mess comprising of small plastic water bottles and leftover orange pieces thrown all over the street and the surrounding areas. Well, the management of Hotel Ocean Pearl were kind enough to supply these water bottles and pieces of oranges, but they had kept only one medium size garbage container to dispose of the waste. Imagine you are supplying water and oranges to thousands of runners, and you are providing one garbage container – give me a break? While the sponsor got the name and publicity of providing refreshments to the runners, but on the other hand, the city streets got messed up with garbage?

An elder volunteer of the Swachh Mangaluru campaign speaking to Team Mangalorean said, “I am an employee of Nitte University. I feel sorry to say that Nitte group which is very much associated with Ramakrishna Math in the Swachh Mangaluru has to face all these criticisms about the mess created by these youngsters, who might have also participated in the Swachh Mangaluru campaign. It’s sad that we have to clean their mess, when they should have thought not to litter on the first place, being most of them educated”.

I don’t know whom to blame for this disgusting mess, whether to blame the organizers for not providing enough numbers of garbage bins/containers or the marathon runners (young and old) and mostly all educated for disrespecting the cleanliness awareness drive “Swachh Bharath” or “Namma Mangaluru, Swachha Mangaluru” campaign. Even during the last year Marathon, the same kind of mess was seen throughout the run route and also at the Mangala Stadium breakfast area, and this year too it has been repeated. And the sad part is that all those who were responsible for littering were mostly students, or call them educated citizens. Is this what “Clean India” campaign that we are looking forward too, that too being educated citizens of India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi while launching his nationwide cleanliness campaign, the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ or ‘Clean India Campaign’ on 2 October 2014 (Gandhi Jayanthi Day) had asked India’s 1.25 billion people to join the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ and promote it to everyone. Addressing the nation Modi had said, “We have gained freedom under the leadership of Gandhiji, but his dream of clean India is still unfulfilled. Swachh Bharat Campaign logo is not just a logo, through it Gandhiji is watching us and we all should clean India. Be it Temples, Mosques, Gurudwaras or any place, we must take efforts to clean our surroundings. Swachh Bharat mission is beyond politics. It is inspired by patriotism and not politics, the work is to be done by all Indians. This campaign is for 1.2 billion people and I repeat it 1.2 billion times. This work is not only about a ‘prachar Abhiyan’. It is a big effort but we have a lot of time.”

Now let’s shift our talk from the streets to the portion at Mangala stadium where the runners were provided with breakfast this morning. Imagine what would happen when over 15,000 plus marathon runners feast on snacks served on paper plates and beverages served in plastic cups during the breakfast, and dispose of the used paper plates/cups when no proper garbage bins are provided? The answer- the entire breakfast arena will turn into a garbage zone! And that was the scene at the Mangala Stadium where breakfast was served for the marathon runners after completion of their run. There were probably only two or three dozens of garbage bins to handle all this waste- and the result was that garbage was scattered all over.

I am sure most of these marathoners/students might have already taken Modi’s speech seriously and taken up the task to see that their surroundings are clean by organizing Clean Drive projects. But what good is it to have a clean awareness program for a day, get enough publicity in media and then forget everything the next day and create a mess themselves. That’s what happened here at today’s Marathon breakfast area. Even though there were a bunch of garbage bins place in the breakfast area (some placed by MCC), hardly anyone made use of them. When I peeped into these garbage bins, I found out they were either half full or quarter full. People didn’t bother to use them, instead threw the paper plates/cups wherever they wanted to. (look at the pics, to believe it).

The funny part is that there were also two small plastic buckets and a couple of small garbage containers- imagine paper plates/cups used by people fitting in these small containers. (see pictures) What a joke? I happened to be near six students, four girls/two boys wearing their prestigious institute polo-shirts- they were feasting on their snacks/beverages. When they were done I saw them discarding the used paper plates/cups right down near their feet, even though there was an MCC garbage bin a few steps away from where they were standing. Wow- just look at these students belong to a prestigious and renowned institute, who care less about cleanliness and keeping their city/country clean. I couldn’t resist myself – I approaching these students and told them what they did was wrong, for which they felt guilty and walked away without uttering a word.

In conclusion, if educated people can’t keep their surroundings clean or ignore “Swachh Bharath Abhiyan”, how can we ever think of having a Clean India or Clean Mangaluru. Is this campaign just a “publicity stunt”, where organizations/colleges/schools/other educational institutions organizing Clean drive project for a day, and for the sake of photos/media coverage, and later stick to their old littering habits. We need to enforce strict laws and punish those who litter in the public, then only we can look forward for “Swachh Bharath” and for that matter “Swachh Mangaluru”!

Let’s work together and see that we keep our surroundings clean. While I compliment the organizers for a great Marathon event, my only request to them is that they look into this garbage menace next year- I only hope that 2018 Nitte Mangaluru marathon will be garbage/litter FREE!, and that they won’t commit the mistake again. Remember we should learn from our mistakes to change, and not continuing our old habits. And let’s remember to make “Namma Mangaluru, Swachha Mangaluru!”

Also speaking to Team Mangalorean, Suresh Shenoy said, “Two weeks ago I was in Australia, and happened to witness a Marathon in Sydney- it was so well organized I didn’t see any litter on the run route. They had plenty of garbage bins placed all along the run route at every few meters from the refreshment points- but here in Mangaluru you hardly see any garbage bins along the run route. Where can these runners throw the used bottles etc? But using your common sense counts, no matter what?” It was terrible to see these youngsters ruining the city’s streets with garbage. It’s time for these youngsters to grow up to be responsible youth and future leaders of this nation”