The initiative, titled ‘Swachh Nadige’, aims to take the message of responsible waste management directly to communities along the route. Anchan has also invited citizens, organisations and institutions to join the campaign and participate in cleanliness and awareness activities at locations convenient to them.
Foot march to focus on waste management
The ‘Swachh Nadige’ campaign follows a similar awareness foot march undertaken by Anchan last year from Karwar to Mangaluru.
During this year’s walk, he plans to conduct cleanliness drives along the highway and in surrounding areas while interacting with residents and spreading awareness about responsible waste disposal.
A key objective of the campaign is also to understand the waste-management practices followed by gram panchayats along the route.
Anchan said the interactions would help identify the challenges faced by local bodies in managing waste and provide an opportunity to discuss possible solutions with communities and local organisations.
Promoting alternatives to single-use plastic
The campaign will also focus on encouraging people to use cloth bags as an alternative to single-use plastic.
Awareness programmes and public interactions will be organised along the route to explain the importance of reducing waste generation, proper disposal and community participation in keeping public spaces clean.
Anchan intends to interact with representatives of gram panchayats, local organisations and members of the public during the march.
The campaign seeks to make cleanliness and responsible waste management a shared community responsibility rather than an activity limited to local authorities.
Citizens invited to participate
Anchan has invited citizens, organisations and educational and other institutions to participate in the initiative at locations convenient to them along the route.
Participants can join the cleanliness activities for an hour, half an hour or any other duration that is convenient for them.
Organisations have also been invited to organise discussions and awareness programmes on cleanliness and waste management. During such programmes, Anchan will share his experiences and discuss waste-management issues encountered during his work and awareness campaigns.
The flexible participation model is intended to enable more people and organisations to associate with the campaign without having to accompany the entire foot march.
Activities from 6 am to 7 pm
The foot march and associated cleanliness activities will be carried out daily between 6 am and 7 pm.
The campaign will carry the message: “Cleanliness is our responsibility.”
Through the slogan and public activities, the initiative aims to encourage individuals to take greater responsibility for the waste they generate and to adopt more sustainable disposal practices.
The campaign will also provide an opportunity for local communities to discuss practical waste-management concerns with a person involved in the sector.
Understanding local challenges
One of the important aspects of the foot march will be Anchan’s interaction with gram panchayats along the route.
Waste management requirements can vary between rural and urban areas depending on population, infrastructure, collection systems and availability of processing facilities. Understanding these local challenges can help bring greater attention to gaps in waste collection and disposal systems.
The cleanliness drives planned during the journey are also expected to provide a practical demonstration of community participation in maintaining public spaces.
Appeal for district-wide support
Anchan has appealed to citizens and organisations to support the ‘Swachh Nadige’ initiative and contribute towards keeping the district clean.
By combining a long-distance awareness walk with cleanliness drives, public discussions and interactions with local bodies, the campaign seeks to take the conversation on waste management beyond awareness programmes and into local communities.
The Sampaje-Mangaluru foot march beginning October 9 will thus focus on a simple message — maintaining cleanliness requires participation from residents, institutions, local organisations and authorities alike.