Mangaluru
The Ramakrishna Mission’s Swacch Mangaluru Abhiyan for October was conducted around the Mangalore Clock Tower on Sunday, drawing enthusiastic participation from citizens and volunteers. The drive was jointly flagged off by Swami Vidyamrutanandaji of Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Peeth, Kolkata, and Swami Yugeshananda of Ramakrishna Math, Mangaluru.
Speaking at the launch, Swami Vidyamrutanandaji said the Swacch Mangaluru campaign had earned recognition even in West Bengal for its consistent civic engagement. “Cleanliness begins at home, but must extend to public spaces. The people of Mangaluru have become role models in this regard,” he said.
Under the leadership of Captain Ganesh Karnik, volunteers including Ashok Subbiah, Rajendra, Naveen Kumar, Purushottam, Rupesh, Anand Kulal, Shivaram, and Satyanarayana K.V. cleaned the Clock Tower circle and footpaths near the Mini Vidhana Soudha. Another team, led by Kamalaksha Pai, cleared dividers and surroundings up to Hampankatta Circle.
A separate team led by Dilraj Alva and Balakrishna Bhat cleaned the Clock Tower fountain using a suction truck to remove stagnant water, while Uday Kumar K.P. and his group removed unauthorized banners from nearby areas. The event was supported by the Swacch Mangaluru Foundation.
Meanwhile, students fromNitte Institute of Physiotherapy, guided by Dr. Dhanesh Kumar and Dr. Ruchita Narsiya, cleaned wall murals along the University College compound. They scrubbed off algae, trimmed overgrown branches, and washed the walls to restore their brightness. The murals, depicting cleanliness and civic awareness, add to the city’s beauty while discouraging wall defacement.