Individual green initiatives impact communities in Malur, Srinivaspur

A couple in the town have been teaching the lesson of the significance of individual initiative on how to keep surroundings clean for the last six years.

The day of Phalakshaiah and Shailaja, residents of Maruthi Layout, begins at 4 am. After waking up, they come to the street holding brooms and plastic bins and start cleaning a stretch of over one-and-half kilometres in and around their house. They also clean about three streets close to their shop.

They have purchased a tiny pushcart, plastic bins and brooms spending from their pocket for their work which has been widely appreciated.

Phalakshaiah, who studied till SSLC, has always been passionate about nature. He married Shailaja three years ago. Initially, she was upset with his cleaning business as she felt it was below his dignity. However, she too joined hands with him after realising the importance of her husband’s initiative.

“I had begun to develop an inferiority complex. However, I quickly realised how my husband’s initiative protected community health from diseases. I too began cleaning the roads with him,” she says.

“Reformation won’t happen merely by speaking. We should stop speaking and start working in that direction. Human beings are facing problems due to environmental pollution. We should focus on preserving the environment,” he explains.

The couple plant saplings on important occasions like birthdays, anniversaries and other family rituals. They also turn off street lights after dawn and save electricity.

Serving birds and animals

Meet an 87-year-old farm woman Venkatamma from Panasamakanahalli in Srinivaspur taluk. The elderly woman has been a virtual lifeline for birds and animals in and around her house.

She has grown a wide variety of trees near her house. She has kept containers in trees to keep food, grains and water to the birds and animals. It has been her practice for the last many decades to keep food and water in the containers before consuming meals.

She has protected the trees and birds and animals from hunters. The chirping of birds may often be heard. She offers a variety of food depending upon seasons and weather conditions.

Venkatamma’s children, daughters-in-law and grandchildren too serve the birds and animals.

“Birds and animals have been victims of man’s cruelty. There is a need to preserve sparrows and squirrels. These birds require fewer quantities of grains daily. We should keep water in the container without fail during summer,” she says.