Bengaluru: The second day of World Cleanup Day weekend saw students and citizens turn out in large numbers for activities as part of the Times of India’s #IamBengaluru – Volunteer for Parks, presented by Multigen and in association with Kristu Jayanti University.At BDA Doddakallasandra Parks 1 and 2, Youth for Seva led a mega plogging and clean-up drive, with students from RV University and City Engineering College joining in large numbers. This was followed by Kempabudhi Lake Park, where volunteers participated in a vegetable seed plantation activity led by Adamya Chetana. At Yediyur Lake Park, students from Christ University, Central Campus, turned up for a plogging and waste segregation awareness activity led by Indian Ploggers Army.Highlighting the need to translate climate awareness into action, Plog Raja, Indian Ploggers Army, said, “World Cleanup Day reminds us that climate action cannot stop at awareness; it has to move to the ground. Through initiatives like #IamBengaluru, we are seeing that action take shape in our own neighbourhoods, with citizens, and increasingly Gen Z, showing up to care for the public spaces.”For Youth for Seva, volunteering is also about building a deeper culture of civic responsibility. Raghavendra BS, volunteer management head – Karnataka, YFS, said, “Volunteering is rooted in the idea that what we receive from society and nature creates a responsibility to give back. #IamBengaluru turns that belief into everyday civic action. When citizens clean a park, manage waste responsibly or nurture its greenery, they are not just improving a public space, but expressing gratitude to the community and environment that sustain us. Our aspiration is to build a culture where such service becomes a natural part of being a responsible citizen.” To participate in future volunteering events, register at https://iambengaluru.co.in.Spoorti Joshi, first-year student, RV University, said, “We collected over 80kg of waste from just one park, which showed me how much a few hours of collective effort can achieve. Volunteering is also about creating awareness that the waste we throw away can affect birds, animals and the larger ecosystem.”Sushruth, NSS volunteer, RV University added Bengaluru may be an IT city, but people also need green spaces where they can step away from work and breathe. “Keeping these parks clean is our responsibility as citizens, and even a little of our time can help.”Annika Chourasia, RV University, said, “In the hustle of Bengaluru, we often forget to spend time with nature and contribute to the city around us. Spending a Sunday volunteering with friends genuinely made my day. If each of us can give even an hour a week to something we care about, it can add up to a meaningful change.”Mamatha, JP Nagar 8th Phase resident, said this was her fifth #IamBengaluru volunteering activity. “My mother always told me that what matters is not what you get from society, but what you give back to it. Even one hour of volunteering gives me a sense of fulfilment,” she said.Rakshitha, Jayanagar resident, said, “A park is one of the few places where you see people of every age spending time together, with family, friends and nature. In a city where fresh air and greenery are increasingly precious, keeping these shared spaces clean matters to everyone who uses them.”Veena Kaulgud, Kengeri resident, added, “Growing up with Bengaluru’s identity as the Garden City made its greenery special to me. Tree planting has now become a weekly activity, and every plantation drive by TOI and Adamya Chetana is close to my heart. As a regular TOI reader, I was especially happy to see #IamBengaluru bring more people into caring for the city’s parks.”
