March 22, 2023
By Manickam A. & Nathania John
Subject Coordinator – Radio Kotagiri & Communications Intern
On March 22, Keystone’s Radio Kotagiri team collaborated with Kaypeeyes College and the Kotagiri town panchayat to conduct a cleanliness drive in Krishnapudur village. It was a combined celebration of World Forest Day (March 21) and World Water Day (March 22). About 25 students from the college joined as enthusiastic participants of the drive. They coordinated well to ensure that the drive was effective and impactful.
The drive was motivated by the active participation of officers from the panchayat, including the sanitary inspector, executive officer, and sanitary workers. The students were guided by the sanitary workers throughout the drive.
Krishnapudur village has been reeling from the impacts of landfills that continue to grow, rivers choked with pollution and once pristine public spaces carelessly littered. The primary objective of the drive was to decontaminate the polluted river and clear plastic-filled streets. Students also planted native grass and tree saplings across the riverbank to strengthen the bank and improve soil and water quality in the long term.
The secretary of Longwood Shola Watchdog Committee, K.J. Raju, engaged the students in a session on the importance of water conservation and climate change impacts. He also led discussions on sustainable measures that can be undertaken by the local community.
While cleanliness drives cannot offer a long-term solution to repair environmental and habitat degradation, drives are effective in uniting communities, serving as a stark reminder of the impact that lifestyle choices of the wealthy and urban. They also help sensitise locals on the importance of water conservation, waste management, and conscious behaviour in the outdoors. Awareness is often the first step that leads to radical changes, and we hope that the clean-up invoked a sense of responsibility in the community.
