Ramakrishna Math ready for third edition of 'Swacch Mangaluru'

Cleanliness drive to be launched; 40 teams, 400 tasks, 10 months

Buoyed by overwhelming success of first and second phase of ‘Swacch Mangaluru’, Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, Mangaluru, is all set for the third phase of massive cleanliness drive from October 2, Gandhi Jayanthi.

Addressing media on Friday here, Swami Ekagamyanandaji, co-convener of the drive, said, “A total of 40 teams have been formed with each of the 10 teams tasked with equal number of programmes every Sundays totalling 40 programmes in a month aiming to cover 400 programmes (tasks) for a period of 10 months up to July next’.

To ensure that nothing goes haywire, the volunteers who were associated with the drive earlier have been appointed as coordinators for each teams. They will act as a bridge between the math and team, taking care of their needs. Each teams will be provided Rs 5,000 per month for expenditure towards food and minor repair works like fixing damaged slabs on footpaths among others. The T-shirts for volunteers this time will bear the motivational message of Swami Vivekananda—‘Arise and awake till the goal is reached’.

Organisations
Swami said that several other organisations including Senior Citizens’ Association and women’s organisations, have joined hands this time. The Autorickshaw Drivers’ Association near Krishna Bhavan Park and Karangalpady will clean their respective areas. A separate students team is also in the offing, as some students have evinced interest in involving in the drive.

“A separate team of advocates is also expected to join the drive, as a senior civil judge has expressed willingness  in this regard,” said Ekagamyanandaji. Briefing further, president of the Math Swami Jithakamanandaji said Nitte Justice K S Hegde Foundation and Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd., (MRPL) have voluntarily come forward to sponsor the activities planned as part of the drive.

In all, 75 pourakarmikas will be felicitated during the inaugural session of the third phase of the drive. Equal number of pourakarmikas were felicitated during the first phase earlier, he said.

Assistant general secretary of Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math, West Bengal, Swami Bodhasaranandaji will grace the inaugural session of third phase of ‘Swacch Mangaluru’ on October 2 at 7.30 am. Chancellor of Nitte University N Vinay Hegde, Mangaluru South MLA J R Lobo, MLC Ganesh Karnik and general manager of MRPL, Mangaluru, BHV Prasad will be the guests of honour.