It was a day out for techies. Recently, around 80 IT professionals from the Silicon City of Bangalore, attached to Oracle, thronged Muthathi, a picnic spot on the banks of River Cauvery in Malavalli taluk of Mandya District.

No, there’s nothing new in this. For, every weekend IT professionals visit Muthathi to spend their time. But, the Oracle team had gone there for a different purpose. Armed with brooms, gunny bags and hand gloves, the team, in association with Clean and Green troop, an NGO involved in eco-friendly activities, wanted to clean up the area that was covered with plastic and such other waste.

Apart from cleaning up the place, the team also spread awareness among locals and tourists about the ill-effects of discarded plastic on our environment. The plastic so collected would be handed over to a company which recycles the same.

Oracle celebrates its Global Volunteer Days (GVD) from September 15 to 29 every year across six cities including Bangalore. This trip to Muthathi was also a part of the GVD programme, said the volunteers.

“This is a good programme. We are happy to be involved in this. I hope we will be able to spread awareness about the ill effects of plastic on our environment,” said Oracle project leader Shashidhar Bellur.

“This is the third time that we are involved in this kind of work. Initially, people would see and go silently. Now, they join us in cleaning up the place. That is awareness created,” said Sandeep, a volunteer.

“It is good to see NGO's and volunteers participating in such activities. Our department will extend its full support to them,” said forest officer Ravindra.

As far as the techies were concerned, it was a different weekend altogether!