Swachh M’luru Kicks Off! Math to give Kudla a ‘Extreme-Makeover’

Swachh M’luru Kicks Off! Math to give Kudla a ‘Extreme-Makeover’

“So long as you do not take the broom and the bucket in your hands, you cannot make your towns and cities Clean” – Mahatma Gandhi. Ramakrishna Mission’s “Swachh Mangaluru 3rd Phase” Kicks Off, and the Math is all geared up to give Kudla ‘A Extreme- Makeover’.

Mangaluru: Finally the day has come for the official launch of the the Third Phase of Swachh Mangaluru Abhiyan undertaken by Ramakrishna Mission-Mangaluru. With 40 Teams, 40 Weeks, 400 Drives, 4000 Volunteers, 10 Drives every consecutive Week, Ramakrishna Mission is all ready to give Kudla a “Extreme-Makeover” during the next forty weeks.Over 5000 tools/cleaning equipment, buckets, brooms, pans, shovels, etc will be put into use during this Abhiyan to beautify the City. The Abhiyan kicked off today, 2 October 2016 on “Gandhi Jayanthi’ at the Ramakrishna Mission premises at 7.30 am.

The programme began with invoking God’s blessings through a prayer rendered by the Math Monks, followed by welcome address by Capt Ganesh Karnik, Coordinator of the Swachh Mangaluru project who said, ” Swacch Bharath Abhiyan was initiated all over India on the Gandhi Jayanti Day, i.e. 2nd October 2014. Central government has undertaken several initiatives to effectively carry on this Abhiyan at different levels. As it is a public movement unless common mass and general public are involved it will not see the light of the day. Realizing this, the Central Government requested several organizations to actively take part in the mission along with their followers. When the Ramakrishna Mission Headquarters at Belur in West Bengal received such a request it forwarded the same to all its branch centres. This set the ball rolling in Mangaluru with Ramakrishna Mission actively starting Swacch Mangaluru Abhiyan. And today we are commencing our Third Phase of our Abhiyan, for which we request your support and encouragement “

“Ramakrishna Mission at Mangaluru has successfully completed 40 weeks of Swacch Mangaluru Abhiyan in 2 phases starting from 2015 February till 2016 February in 2 phases. Thanks to the active support and cooperation of the friends and well-wishers of our Ashrama, the Abhiyan was a grand success in creating an awareness about hygiene and cleanliness among the general public. Hence apart from sweeping the streets clean, several seminars and workshops on the theme of Swacch Bharath, Art Camps, competitions for students and children, rallies and door to door campaign by distribution of awareness literature made our initiative meaningful. As the first 2 phases were carried out on an experimental basis and we got a good feedback from our volunteers and the general public, we are continuing with the 3rd phase.” added Capt Karnik.

Briefing about the Abhiyan, Swami Jitakamanandaji – Head of Ramakrishna Mission-Mangaluru said, “The 3rd phase of the Swacch Mangaluru Abhiyan will commence today and will continue for 10 months. Teams will be given maximum freedom to function as per the local situation. Each team will offer service on just one Sunday in a month. To elaborate, the first set of 10 teams will work on first Sunday of each month, and that is all for that month. The second set of 10 teams on 2nd Sunday and the third and fourth sets on third and fourth Sundays. In one word, forty programmes will be covered during each month. The Third Phase will be from October 2, 2016 to July 2017. However, during south-west monsoon outpours, for two months Abhiyan will be suspended.”

Swami furthers aid, “On the whole 40 Sundays will be covered during the period October 2016 to July 2017 and the Abhiyan will go on for 10 months between October 2016 to July 2017. In other words, each team will work for 10 months – one Sunday each month and it will take up 10 programmes. This will be preceded by Swacch Manas programme – An orientation programme for youths & students every Saturday from 3.00 ppm to 6.00 pm. Several institutions will be deputing their representatives for this programme where they will be briefed about Ashrama activities, need for Swacchata Abhiyan and their role in ensuring the success of this Abhiyan.”

The programme was inaugurated by lighting of the traditional lamp by chief guest Swami Bodhasaranandaji, Asst. General secretary, Ramakrishna Math & Mission, along with other dignitaries on the dais namely Swami Jitakamanandaji, Head, Ramakrishna Mission, Mangalore, Dr. N Vinay Hegde, Chancellor, Nitte University, MLA J R Lobo, MLC Captain Ganesh Karnik, BHV Prasad, GM, MRPL and AK Sahu- Director of Finance, MRPL. During this occasion about 35 Poura Karmikas of Mangaluru City Corporation were honored for their services in keeping the city of Mangaluru clean for the past several decades – they wake up early in the morning and see that the city is clean by the time other citizens get up off the bed.

Addressing the gathering Swami Bodhasaranandaji said, ” We should compliment Ramakrishna Mission-Mangaluru and its members for their dedication and commitment in taking up the Swachh Mangaluru Abhiyan for the last two years, and now stepping into their third phase. A job well done to bring awareness about the importance of cleanliness and to make Mangaluru a clean city. They could do it because of the love, sympathy and benevolence shown by the citizens of this great city. Another initiative taken by the Math is to recognize and honor the Poura Karmikas for their service to the community. To carry on this Abhiyan we need dedicated and committed volunteers, who are ready to sacrifice and work for others.”

” Just like Jesus Christ sacrificed his life for others, we should also follow in his footsteps in caring and serving others. Science and technology can’t give us peace, it’s only through our hard work and unity where we can promote and spread peace. We should know that Swachh Bharath is not the only responsibility of PM Modi, it is the duty of every citizen of this country to maintain cleanliness around our surroundings-only then we can make Swachh Bahrath Abhiyan a successful one. Swami Vivekananda said ‘Money and all will come of themselves, we want men, not money. It is man that makes everything, what can money do? So richness doesn’t count here, we need common and dedicated people to come forward and work hard towards making our Country, our states and our cities clean. During my visits to Dubai and Japan, I was so astonished to see the cleanliness of the cities and houses-if these countries can maintain cleanliness, why can’t India also do it? Let’s answer this question, and make a strong commitment to see that we keep India and our cities clean” added the Swami.

Also speaking during the occasion, MLA J R Lobo said, “So long as you do not take the broom and the bucket in your hands, you cannot make your towns and cities Clean” has said Mahatma Gandhi. So it is our duty to pick a broom and a bucket and go around our surroundings at least 5-10 minutes every day and see that cleanliness is maintained. This project undertaken by Ramakrishna Mission will be an added asset to the Mangaluru Smart City project. To make the Smart City happen we all need to work together in unity and dedication for a better and cleaner City. We should come up with an ambitious objective of achieving ‘Swachh Bharath/Mangaluru’ specifically by eliminating open defecation by the year 2019 which is the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. We have already announced about Mangaluru Open Defecation Free city, and much more has to be done. It is also very crucial that state and district thrusts a strong focus on the improvement and sustenance of environmental sanitation and hygiene that would directly benefit its tourism industry which is a major contributor of economic growth. So let’s all work hard along with the Math for a better and cleaner Mangaluru”.

Dr Vinay Hegde and BHV Prasad also spoke, and while complimenting the efforts taken by Ramakrishna Mission, they also urged the audience to support and encourage the volunteers of this Abhiyan in achieving their goal in making Mangaluru Swachh. Soon after the formal function, the Abhiyan was flagged off, and Cleaning equipment were handed over to all the 40 team leader, and their teams got into action cleaning the designated areas assigned to them. This will be followed by a Seminar, “Swacch Manas for Swacch Bharath” for the Swacchata Abhiyan volunteers which was inaugurated by Swami Bodhasaranandaji. Padmabhushan Dr. B M Hegde and Air Vice Marshal Ramesh Karnik were the resource persons. The vote of thanks was proposed by the compere of the occasion, Smitha Shenoy- Professor in Journalism at Besant Women’s College.

Swami Ekagamyanandaji- Co-Convener of Swachh Mangaluru Abhiyan speaking to Team Mangalorean said, ” We have already earmarked 40 interested teams and have interacted with the members from each team. Each team will consist of 50 to 100 members. They should be committed to participate in the 10 Abhiyans without fail. All the cleaning materials like brooms, gloves etc. are supplied to them from the Ashram along with motivational T shirts, banners and awareness literature. Ashrama will also give each team Rs. 5000/- per month to carry on some minor repair work in their area like fixing slab stone in damaged footpath etc This will also be used for breakfast for the Abhiyan volunteers. Ashram will coordinate each team’s work with an appointed coordinator. Justice K S Hegde Foundation and MRPL have voluntarily come forward to support he cause. Already 5000 Cleaning equipment like broom, basket etc have been purchased. 5000 T shirts have been purchased and have been distributed among each team”.

Mahatma Gandhi dreamt of an India which was not only free but also clean and developed. Mahatma Gandhi secured freedom for Mother India. Nowit is our duty to serve Mother India by keeping the country neat and clean. Let me conclude the column with the ‘Swachh Bharath’ pledge administered to the Volunteers by Swami Jitakamanandaji –

” I take this pledge that I will remain committed towards cleanliness and devote time for this.

I will devote 100 hours per year, that is two hours per week, to voluntarily work for cleanliness.

I will neither litter nor let others litter.

I will initiate the quest for cleanliness with myself, my family, my locality, my village and my work place.

I believe that the countries of the World that appear clean are so because their citizens don’t indulge in littering nor do they allow it to happen.

With this firm belief, I will propagate the message of Swachh Bharath Mission in villages and towns.

I will endeavor to make them devote their 100 hours for cleanliness.

I am confident that every step I take towards cleanliness will help in making my country clean”.

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