Mangaluru: The March cleanliness drive of Ramakrishna Mission – Swacch Mangaluru Abhiyan was formally flagged off by Dr Manjaiah Shetty, senior health officer, Mangalore City Corporation (MCC), and Pranjal Ghate, economist, govt of Ontario, Canada, on Sunday.Addressing the gathering, Pranjal Ghate said, “Working with international community, I understand the global importance of cleanliness. I truly appreciate the dedicated efforts of volunteers and the citizen of Mangaluru in sustaining this cleanliness drive led by the Ramakrishna Mission.” He highlighted the global relevance of local action and the importance of collective civic responsibility.As part of the shramadan activities, a team of senior volunteers, including Balakrishna Bhat and others, undertook a cleanliness drive at the Kadri temple parking area. The team encouraged the parking area staff to ensure that visitors made proper use of the available waste bins and maintained cleanliness on the premises.At the Kadri Temple main road, faculty members from the Nitte Institute of Physiotherapy—Dr Purushothaman Chippala, Dr Jayesh Chandran, Dr Ruchitha, Dr Hemanth, and Mr Socrate—along with student volunteers, carried out another cleaning drive. The team contributed to improving the visual appeal of the area.The programme was organised in association with Swacch Mangaluru Prathishtana, supported by MRPL and ONGC, as part of their environmental social responsibility initiatives. Former MLC Capt Ganesh Karnik and Ranjan Bellarpady, coordinator of Swacch Mangaluru Abhiyan, were present.Recovery of Religious WastesIn a special initiative, a batch of volunteers including Taranath Alva, Kamalaksha Pai, and Dilraj Alva, recovered religious scrap, including discarded photo frames and damaged idols, at Kadri Circle. Recognising the cultural and spiritual significance of such materials, volunteers ensured respectful collection of these items. These items will be respectfully and safely disposed of through a dedicated campaign in the coming days, stated a release.
