'Cleanliness is everyone's responsibility'

“We need to quit the habit of littering expecting others to clean it,” Nitte deemed-to-be-university Pro-Chancellor Vishal Hegde said.

He addressed the gathering during the launch of ‘Swacch Soch’ campaign at Ramakrishna Math premises as part of the fifth phase of Swacchata Abhiyan, on Tuesday.

Hegde said every citizen has a responsibility to protect the image of our country. India, as a progressing nation, was being watched by other countries.

“We can’t afford to cut a sorry figure by keeping our surroundings filthy. We need to set an example to future generations. Awareness of cleanliness should be an ongoing process, he opined.

While inaugurating the Swacch Soch seminar, MRPL Group General Manager (HR) B H V Prasad, said that Swaccha Mangaluru initiated by Ramakrishna Mission had attracted the attention of the entire nation.

Urging people to process wet waste produced in the houses by composting it, Prasad said it is important to focus on the long-term benefits of maintaining cleanliness. Changing the mindset is an essential component of the Swacch Bharat programme, he added.

Ramakrishna Mission Mangaluru Secretary Swami Jithakamanandaji said under the ‘Swacch Soch’ (meaning clean thought) campaign, awareness would be created in 50 colleges of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi till February 2019 through seminars and workshops. Interactive sessions would be held. Students would make paper presentations at the university and district level seminars.

So far, around 6000 volunteers have taken part in the Swaccha Mangaluru campaign launched by Ramakrishna Mission, Jithakamanandaji said, adding that cleanliness was a nation-building process. Former MLC Capt Ganesh Karnik was present.

Vivekananda Institute of Human Excellence, Hyderabad, Director Swami Bodhamayananda spoke on ‘Transforming self to transform society’ and Corporate Trainer Dr Vivek Modi spoke on ‘Practicality of Purity in Modern Times’. An interactive session followed.