Cleanliness was a virtue held dear by Mahatma Gandhi. Befittingly, institutions across the city observed Gandhi Jayanti by carrying out intensive cleaning drives. The State-level inauguration of the cleanliness drive in medical institutions was inaugurated by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy at the General Hospital here on Wednesday.
Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar described the week-long programme as a ‘quality auditing’ process supervised by the respective District Medical Officer and the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) officials. Health workers and Student Police Cadets took part in the programme. The Lions Club International also took part in the drive by cleaning the hospital wards.
As part of the Health Department’s programme, portraits of Gandhiji were placed in the 1,255 government hospitals in the State.
Mr. Sivakumar said that he had spoken to the Chief Minister about allocating funds next year for a ‘Clean hospital and infection prevention’ scheme.
Mayor K. Chandrika inaugurated the City Corporation’s cleaning drive at the Palayam market. The Centre for Gandhian Studies and the National Service Scheme jointly organised a sanitation drive at the University of Kerala. University Registrar K. Mohammed Basheer inaugurated the function.
On Wednesday, NSS volunteers cleared the premises of University College, Women’s College and the A.J. College of Science and Technology, Thonnackal. The programme also marked the progress of the ‘Plastic Free Green Campus’ launched on the World Environment Day, June 5, this year.
The Trivandrum Bar Association organised a cleaning drive in the court compound at Vanchiyoor. District Judge Sudheedra Kumar inaugurated the programme in the morning. The Legislative Assembly organised a small gathering, where Speaker G. Karthikeyan garlanded Gandhi’s statue.
Schools join drive
Schools in the city also observed Gandhi Jayanti. The Government Upper Primary School, Vithura, conducted a cleaning programme and also harvested the tapioca grown on the school premises. Saraswathi Vidyalaya observed Gandhi Jayanti as ‘Service Day.’ The personnel of the Museum police joined hands with the students and teachers of Sandeepani School, near Kanakakunnu, to clean the Museum premises and the Kanaka Nagar road
Beach cleaning
District Collector K.N. Satheesh inaugurated a beach cleaning drive organised by Pallium India at Shangumugham in the afternoon. Rural Development Minister K.C. Joseph inaugurated a housing programme initiative launched by the Global Gandhian Foundation.
The Kerala Gandhi Smarak Nidhi organised a pan-religion prayer meeting and children’s gathering at the Gandhi Bhavan.
The Centre for Development Studies organised a seminar on Gandhi’s constructive programme and his critique of parliamentary democracy.
