Bengaluru: On the 148th Gandhi Jayanti, the United Bengaluru in association with Let’s Be the Change launched Swachha Bengaluru. The mega-cleanathon event, under the leadership of Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Chandrasekhar, was joined by various citizen groups, NGOs and Resident Welfare Associations to clean the city’s garbage in 72 wards and nine lakes.
Working in tandem with the BBMP, the citizens cleared the garbage at 72 wards and nine lakes, and also painted the walls at black spots. Mr Chandrasekhar interacted with citizens near Jayanagar and Halagevadra Halli Lake and assured them of taking up the issue of cleaning up black spots with the BBMP commissioner.
He said, “The Swacch Bharat campaign is not a slogan, but it is about health. Clean India is our right and it is non-negotiable, since it is a question of public health.”
Drawing a similarity between Mahatma Gandhi’s satyagraha and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Swachha Bharat Abhiyaan call, Union Minister Ananth Kumar said, “The PM gave a call across the country, Swachhagriha which is on the lines of Satyagraha. Change is here and I congratulate citizens’ groups who have come in large numbers to support the cause.”
Volunteers from schools and colleges at Nagarbhavi were not allowed to participate in the Cleanathon since the police claimed that adequate permission was not sought by the BBMP.
Mr Anirudh S. Dutt, president, Let’s Be the Change, said, “There were few ups and downs in Monday’s event, but such citizen participation was never expected. This shows the seriousness of Bengalureans in keeping their city clean.”
