Road to Cleanliness

Raja Annamalaipuram Residents’ Association (RAPRA) has created a model to keep its streets litter-free through sustained efforts by residents. The model fits into a three-step formula.

A view of Fifth Main Road, R. A. Puram.

1. Create a calendar

What water and fertiliser are to a sapling, rules and habits are to an initiative. RAPRA has created a weekly calendar for this clean-up drive. Every Tuesday and Friday are set aside for what is called "a mega cleaning campaign" on one street in R.A. Puram. They deatils of the weekly programme are communicated well in time to the residents for them to keep their vehicles, if any, off this street.

2. Synergise resources

RAPRA managed to get the best out of the Corporation-appointed conservancy agency as well as the police. Ramky officials were presented with a clear picture of the initiative, and they in turn instructed the supervisors to provide adequate conservancy workers to carry out the clean-ups on these two days in a week. In the initial days of this community clean-up programme, police helped out by having vehicles removed from the streets marked for a clean-up.

3. Get digital and visual

In any initiaitve involving processes that have to be performed continually, stakeholders have to be reminded about it through social media. RAPRA uses emails and WhatsApp to communicate with residents about the mega cleaning campaign. Besides, it installs display boards across the neighbourhood, two days before a clean-up.

For more details, call Dr. R. Chandrasekaran at 98410 3004o or S. Ravikumar at 75501 25579.