Change mindset on public places, an awareness.

Change mindset on public places, an awareness.

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru :   A lively group of residents in batches went around Derebail South ward (no 24) on Sept 27, to convince people to maintain cleanliness of public places.  They are trying to emerge as a ’ward with a difference’ on cleanliness and so on.

They did not clean any roads or space  but rather it was an attempt to change the mindset of people towards public places.  The residents gave away handouts which requested people to produce less waste at homes and use cloth bags for shopping.   It said that waste management should first begin in homes. People should reuse certain materials at home as best as possible.

The handout requested people not to burn any waste in roads or at any places or throw waste in public places.An initiative of Rajaneesh, corporator  of the ward, the “clean and green ward 24” drive which started at about 9.30 a.m. ended at 11 a.m.   Corporator Rajaneesh said that the ward had been divided into three zones — Kottara, Aadarsh Nagar and Kapikkad — to reaching people in smaller batches. Though not cent per cent we are able to reach 80 per cent population he said.

The councillor said that in apartments, office-bearers of associations were contacted. Of about 1,500 houses in his ward many houses were in apartments. The ward had a population of 6,000.

He said that residents were given away caps having “clean and green ward 24” slogan. BY  looking at the caps and by wearing it each one should think about his role and responsibility in keeping the ward clean,  Rajaneesh told media persons after the drive.

He said that the ward would be monitored for the next one month for dumping of debris and waste in public places. Residents of respective roads and localities themselves would identify such persons and convince them not to do so.  Rajneesh said that people kept their body, homes, vehicles clean. But why not public places?   He said that he has identified eight places were people publicly dumped waste. They would be beautified by raising gardens there to prevent people from dumping waste.

Derebail South ward councillor Rajaneesh has created a WhatsApp group with 60 members who are residents of the ward for keeping the initiative on hygiene of the ward alive.

He said that a majority of the members are those who raised problems as well as suggested solutions. The group “24{+t}{+h}Derebail ward” discussed the issues of the ward. It would also help to reach select people of the ward who have concern.  May be others too in the city will gain from this idea.