Gandhi Jayanti: All set for weeklong cleanliness drive

Paying homage to one of Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite tenets - ‘Cleanliness is next to godliness’ - a weeklong cleanliness drive has been planned in connection with Gandhi Jayanti.

The State Government has issued an order in accordance with the proposal submitted by the State Institute of Educational Management and Training (SIEMAT), Kerala, which aims to spread awareness among the public, especially school students, on the Gandhian views on cleanliness and hygiene.

The Gandhi Jayanti Cleanliness Week project, meant to be held during October 1 - 7, will include mass cleaning programmes and awareness classes on effective waste management in all government offices, schools and houses involving the departments of Education, Health and Local-Self Government, Kudumbashree, Suchitwa Mission workers etc.

This is an ambitious long-term project to involve all of Kerala’s populace, according to SIEMAT Director E Valsalakumar.

“We want this to be an annual programme, to be held in the first week of October,” he said. “Since the final touches of the proposal and the government order came only this past week, it might not be possible for the full-fledged project we envisioned, adhering to all our proposal guidelines, to be held this year. But still, each local body, school etc should do what it can.”

Apart from cleaning the premises of schools and their surroundings, the proposal also suggests that students, under the guidance of bodies like Student Police Cadets, National Service Scheme etc conduct domestic surveys, going from house to house collecting details on each household’s waste management practices.

“The data so collected may help authorities in local area planning,” said Valsalakumar.

School-level competitions, documentaries on Mahatma Gandhi, planting of trees, herbs and setting up vegetable gardens are among the activities proposed.

 The state-level inauguration of the weeklong programme will be held on October 1 at the Government Higher Secondary School, Tirurangadi, Malappuram, the constituency of Education Minister P K Abdu Rabb.