It is everyone’s bounden duty to protect and preserve nature, which is the gift of God, and to pass it on to the next generation, said Rev. Fr. James D’Souza, Parish Priest of St. Vincent Ferrer Church, Valencia, here on Sunday.
He was speaking after flagging off the 15th Shramadan of Mangaluru Ramakrishna Mission’s Swatchata Abhiyan Fifth Phase at Valencia Gorigudde here.
Congratulating the mission for its sustained efforts to ensure cleanliness in the city, Fr. D’Souza urged people to join hands to make the abhiyan successful. Mangalore Catholic Co-operative Bank president Anil Lobo, Fr. Arun Lobo, Fr. Joswin Pravin, magician Kudroli Ganesh and others were present.
Cleanliness drive
Members of Team Swatch, Yekkur, cleaned the area in front of Gorigudda crematorium. Heaps of sand and stones were removed using earthmovers. Drains filled with garbage were cleared, while flowering pots were kept at the cleaned area to dissuade people from littering the area again.
Students from Nitte Physiotherapy College, under the leadership of Dhanesh Kumar, cleaned the road adjoining Valencia Church and the footpaths. Sandip Kodikal and others removed the heaps of garbage lying beside Valencia Circle. The spot was levelled and flowering pots were kept there. Volunteers also cleared stone slabs lying on the road obstructing passers-by and vehicles on Fourth Cross Road in Gorigudda.
Volunteers also cleaned and repainted direction boards on the main and cross roads in the area. The work of fixing new seats at the service bus stand at State Bank, which was started a few weeks ago, was resumed this week. A few seats were fixed and painted, thus benefiting passengers waiting there for buses.
Volunteers paid door-to-door visits to several houses in Sooterpet, Gorigudda and Valencia reaching out to about 300 households urging them to keep their area clean. Aniruddh Nayak, Suresh Shetty and others guided the volunteers. Each household was urged to manage its waste and help the abhiyan by keeping their areas free from littering.
During the week, the mission organised Soch seminars at SDM Institute of Technology, Ujire, Nitte Physiotherapy College, Deralakatte, University Evening College, Hampanakatte, SDM ITI, Venur, Government First Grade College, Punjalkatte, Carmel Degree College, Bantwal, and Government College of Education, Mangaluru.
