Debris, waste cleared at Hampankatta

Volunteers carried out a cleanliness drive at Hampankatta area on Sunday.

The Shramadan was jointly flagged off at the Old Bus Stand by Rajashekar Puranik and Jayaprakash Nayak, who are officers of the State Pollution Control Board.

Puranik, who spoke on the occasion, reminded, “A clean environment and clean air is essential for humans. Today, the life of human beings is becoming miserable due to pollution at all levels. If the same situation continues, in future days, man has to live with oxygen masks. Hence, each of us should take care to preserve the nature and environment that we live in. Unless people respond proactively, no project of the government becomes fruitful.”

The volunteers identified four black spots at the beginning of the day’s beat.

The team led by Sowraj Mangalore removed a big heap of garbage from the bus stand using an earthmover and cleaned the spot. It was also levelled using mud.

A second team of volunteers, led by Mehboob Khan, cleared the construction debris and other garbage from a corner of KS Rao Road. Sandeep Kodikal, Satish Kenkanaje and other volunteers cleared the heaps of garbage from outside the sub-office of the Health Department and loaded them into a tipper.

Shubhakar Shetty, Prashanth Yekkur and other members of Team Swacch Yekkur removed the plastic, bottles and other dirt from inside the bus stand.

Dilraj Alva and other volunteers moved the old vehicles and auto rickshaws parked randomly to a corner to make more space available for the regular vehicular parking. Pots with flower plants have been placed in the spots beautified.

Students of the Sri Sharada Vidyalaya visited several shops in Hampankatta and KS Rao Road and created awareness by distributing awareness handbills and urged them to keep their surroundings clean.

A special workshop on awareness was arranged in St Dominic Church at Ashoknagar. Rev Fr Aqueen Noronha was present as chief guest.

Capt Ganesh Karnik spoke about the importance of cleanliness. Nallur Sachin Shetty demonstrated on pot compost and spoke about wet waste management in households.