On Gandhi Jayanti, cleaning drives abound

Various organisations and institutions organised clean-ups in the district on Wednesday as part of the Gandhi Jayanti celebrations. A beach clean-up was organised at Vettucaud where 125 volunteers under the Swachhta Campaign 2024 by the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) and WWF-India. The 12 volunteer teams collected 19 sacks of waste, weighing 210 kg.

Various organisations and institutions organised clean-ups in the district on Wednesday as part of the Gandhi Jayanti celebrations. A beach clean-up was organised at Vettucaud where 125 volunteers under the Swachhta Campaign 2024 by the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) and WWF-India. The 12 volunteer teams collected 19 sacks of waste, weighing 210 kg.

The collected waste was audited by type and weight. Plastic wrappers accounted for a major share of the collected wastes (33.5 kg), followed by glass bottles (23 kg), paper waste (10.7 kg, clothes (10.5 kg) plastic carry bags (9.35 kg) and single-use plastics and styrofoam bowls (5.6 kg). Abandoned fishing gear parts weighing 5.5 kg, diapers and masks (4.75 kg), toys (1.05 kg), and miscellaneous wastes weighing 40.25 kg also part of the collected wastes.

Clinus Rozario L., ward councillor, Vettucaud, addressed the teams after the event. Renjan Mathew Varghese, State Director of WWF-India also addressed the gathering.

The initiative by Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Implementation Committee of IIST, and Nirmaan, Social Outreach Club, IIST, was implemented on-ground by WWF-India in partnership with Indus Cycling Embassy, Sustera Foundation, and NCC Unit of All Saints College.

The cyclists of the Indus Cycling Embassy held a rally from Manaveeyam Veedhi to Vettucaud on Wednesday morning.

As part of Swachh Bharat Diwas celebrations, the NCC Thiruvananthapuram Group organised a cleaning activity at PMG, Palayam and LMS. The event was aimed at contributing to environmental sustainability. More than 1,000 NCC cadets of Army, Naval and Air wings participated in the event, a defence spokesperson said.

Cine actor Jose along with Brigadier Anand, Group Commander, NCC Thiruvananthapuram Group, flagged off the campaign at University Stadium. Thomas Lawrence, CEO of Save Wetlands International Movement, Sudha S. Namboothiry, Defence PRO, and Commanding Officers of various NCC Battalions were also present.