The residents of Shettihalli, on the bank of Hemavati river, received a shock on Sunday as they reached the riverbed to remove dirt collected around, as part of the Swachha Hemavati Andolana, an initiative of progressive organisations.
But when they arrived, they were welcomed by the sight of hundreds of shirts, trousers, saris and other clothes thrown into the river by a group of people who had gathered on the river bank. The clean-up crew had a hard time collecting the clothes and then cleaning up the place.
The cleaning programme was scheduled by Samagra Foundation, Manava Hakku Vedike and residents of Shettihalli. But on the same day, the residents of Kenchattahalli near Hassan had organised a religious event on the river bank. As part of their event, they bathed in the river and left their garments in it, as per ‘custom’.
Mari Joseph, one of the organisers of the Swachha Andolana, said, “Hundreds of people had taken bath and left their clothes in the river. When we enquired [with] the people, they said they were following the instructions of a priest. This is hilarious. Our people do not follow the courts, which have ordered not to pollute the rivers, but they follow the priests.”
Many of the villagers who participated in the cleaning programme were angry. David Kumar, founder of Samagra Foundation, said he had to arrange for a tractor to carry the clothes collected from the waters. “There is a lack of awareness among the public on protecting our rivers. In the name of custom, we should not pollute our waterbodies,” he said.
Hemavati is one of the major sources of drinking water for many places, including Hassan and other towns in the district.
