Led by HDMC corporator Rajanna Koravi, ‘My Ward, My Responsibility’ cleanliness drive was held ahead of Gandhi Jayanti
Hubballi : A week-long cleanliness campaign in HDMC’s Unkal Ward 36 concluded on Saturday, giving public spaces a makeover ahead of Gandhi Jayanti . Supported by Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) and Karnataka University Dharwad NSS units, the campaign drew 200 to 300 volunteers daily. Students from 18 NSS college units, members of Dharmasthala Village Development Association, residents, pourakarmikas and community mobilisers participated. Koravi told TOI that the ward’s 23 pourakarmikas were insufficient to clean the entire locality, while indiscriminate dumping of waste and plastic had compounded the problem. He said Ward 36 was the first among HDMC’s 82 wards to undertake such an initiative. Volunteers subsequently extended the drive to neighbouring Ward 37. HDMC Zone-5 assistant commissioner HY Asangi said the ward was cleaned with support from various organisations.
“I executed a plan to clean the entire ward with the support of NSS volunteers and HDMC,” he said. Koravi said large quantities of gutka sachets and plastic bottles were removed, besides waste that had accumulated in lakes and gardens for nearly a decade. With its population increasing, the number of civic workers available to handle sanitation work was inadequate, he said.
Led by corporator Rajanna Koravi, the ‘My Ward, My Responsibility’ initiative focused on cleaning roads, drains, temples, schools and other public spaces. The ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ campaign concluded with an extensive cleanup of the Unkal Lake Garden area. Volunteers also cleared waste from roads, open drains, schools, temples, anganwadis, the historic Balalu Bavi and areas surrounding Unkal Lake. Alongside the cleanup, volunteers created awareness about segregating wet and dry waste, maintaining public hygiene and reducing plastic use.
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Resident Dr Manjunath Nekar said keeping neighbourhoods clean was a collective responsibility. Public cooperation, he said, was essential to build a clean and beautiful city, and praised the initiative for encouraging residents to take responsibility for their surroundings. Download the TOI App.