A small step was taken for a huge cause – Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of a clean India – at the Namma Swachha Koramangala Abhiyana. On Thursday (December 11), the campaign kick-started and created quite the buzz. Namma Bengaluru Foundation in association with Radio Indigo and Jyoti Nivas College launched the Namma Swachha Koramangala campaign towards improving the waste management practices in Koramangala.
The idea of this campaign was seeded when Indigo Live Music Bar and Radio Indigo were extremely concerned with the garbage and muck around their neighbourhood in Koramangala fifth block. As responsible businesses, they strongly felt the need to do something about it. Indigo Live Music Bar considered Namma Bengaluru Foundation as an ideal partner for the initiative due to their commitment towards a better Bangalore and decided to facilitate a cleanliness drive, towards improving the waste management practices in Koramangala. This campaign encompasses identifying waste management deficiencies and doing specific interventions to improve the overall cleanliness of Koramangala. This launch was part of the first of the six events that will be spread over the next 12 months and will look into periodic waste removal, making footpaths more pedestrian-friendly, removal of illegal hoardings and landscaping of ill kept open spaces.
About 50 student volunteers and 30 NCC cadets from Jyoti Nivas College, staff volunteers from Indigo Live Music Bar, Namma Bengaluru Foundation and Niraamaya Retreats took active part in the event making it a grand success. The event was supported by the BBMP Councillor of Koramangala ward – Kokila Radhakrishna, Bangalore Traffic Police, BBMP officials as well as NS Ramakanth–a round table member of Solid Waste Management.
One of the important outcomes of the campaign was that all nearby shops and establishments were urged to undertake responsibility of maintaining and sustaining cleanliness in their street. The clear message was- “ it’s time to give back to your neighbourhood and city. Give your time whether it’s an hour, a day, or a week – no amount is too big or too small”. Small steps like keeping a bin in front of a chaat stall or segregating dry and wet waste can definitely go a long way in keeping our city clean. NBF is working with several other neighbourhoods in Bengaluru who are interested in replicating this program.
The next event of Namma Swachha Koramangala Abhiyana will be held in the second week of Feb 2015. For more information and details log on to namma-bengaluru.org
