Workshop to Promote Swachh Bharath Abhiyan in Rural Areas by Ramakrishna Mission
Mangaluru: Ramakrishna Mission-Mangaluru has been organizing Swachh Mangaluru Abhiyan for the last two and a half years on special request from the Govt. Of India. Presently the Abhiyan is in the 3rd phase and nearly 60 groups in different parts of Mangaluru and surrounding areas are actively involved in the cleanliness drive and have been successful in creating an awareness about hygiene and cleanliness among the public. They will be completing 400 cleanliness drives in the 3rd phase on 28th May 2017. The success module of the Swacch Mangaluru Abhiyan is also being replicated in several other parts of the state like Puttur, Bantwala, Sringeri, Kalladka, Mysore etc. This only proves that the awareness is spreading wide and fast which is a positive sign.
To expand the scope of this initiative and to reach out to more and more people with the message of awareness, the Ashram is planning to initiate cleanliness drives in rural areas too, which was revealed during a press meet held at the Math on Friday, 26 May 2017. To plan this initiative more effectively on a massive scale the Ashram have called the Village Panchayat officials and PDO’s for a special workshop being organized on 28th May 2017. Representatives from more than 200 Village Panchayats of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi Village Panchayats along with PDO’s and elected representatives are expected be taking part in the workshop.
This workshop will be inaugurated by H K Patil, Hon. Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Govt. of Karnataka; Kumar H, MD, MRPL and Dr Manjunath Bhandary, Chairman, Sahyadri Group of Institutions will be guests. Quite a number of resource persons will address the delegates. Swami Ekagamyanandaji of Ramakrishna Math will be addressing them on the topic, “Swacch Mangaluru – A Novel Initiative” ; Captain Ganesh Karnik will be speaking on the topic, “Swacch Manas – Swacch Bharatha”; Kota Srinivas Poojary will be delivering address on the topic, “Swacch Grama novel dream”; and Dr M R Ravi, CEO, DK Zilla Panchayat will be addressing them on the topic, “Cleanliness as virtue”.
About 400 cleanliness drives were planned in the 3rd phase of the Abhiyan and the Ashram campaign shall be crossing 400 on the 28th May. The concluding programme of the 3rd phase of Swacch Mangaluru Abhiyan is planned on the 11th June 2017. Srimat Swami Gautamanandaji Maharaj, Vice President of Ramakrishna Math and Mission will preside over the function, while Ananthakumar, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs is expected to be the chief guest.
As part of this achievement, an Arise Awake Park will also be inaugurated on the same day, 11 May 2017. For the past few years a park in front of Pavan Apartments in Karangalpady in the City was in ruins due to lack of maintenance. Local residents requested Ramakrishna Mission to take initiative in renovating the park to be put into public use. The renovation work is well under progress. For the first time in Mangaluru, the park will be having a 200 feet long and 8 ft broad Acupressure track for the benefit of walking. Apart from this, several flowering plants will be planted and provision of seats for the elders, lighting arrangements and fountain will be erected.
Swami Ekagamanandaji, Swami Jitakamananda and Umanath (co-ordinator) of Ramakrishna Math also spoke during the press meet, while corporator Prakash Salian also briefed about the various parks that were set up by Ramakrishna Math as part of theSwachh Bharath/Mangaluru Abhiyan, including the forthcoming “Arise Awake Park” near Karangalapady. Dilraj Alva – co-ordinator of Math Swachh Mangaluru Abhiyan delivered the vote of thanks.
For more details please contact convener Swami Jitakamananda at 9448353162