Most of us have walked past a dirty road, shaken our heads, and moved on. These volunteers didn't.

The Ramakrishna Mission's Swachh Mangaluru Abhiyan carried out its May monthly cleanliness drive in the city — and the results were hard to ignore. By the end of the day, the combined efforts of student volunteers and senior members had resulted in the collection and responsible disposal of approximately 3,000 kilograms of waste. That's three tonnes. In a single day.

Who Showed Up?

The drive was inaugurated by Fr. Valerian D'Souza, Head of Rosario Church, and Shri B.H.V. Prasad, Director, MRPL ONGC. Other dignitaries including Capt. Ganesh Karnik (Retd. Army), Dr. Danesh Kumar, Kamalaksha Pai, Dilraj Alva, and Sri Ranjan Bellarpady also lent their support.

This wasn't a token presence. These people actually showed up on the ground.

Fr. Valerian D'Souza appreciated the youth participation, saying it was heartening to see young people giving their time to keep the city clean, and acknowledged the Mission for creating awareness through such initiatives.

Shri B.H.V. Prasad noted that MRPL ONGC is proud to be associated with an initiative that promotes community participation, environmental responsibility, and sustainable development.

Students Did the Heavy Lifting — Literally

Faculty members and student volunteers from the Nitte Institute of Physiotherapy — including Dr. Purushothaman Chippala, Dr. Jayesh Chandran, Dr. Ruchitha Narsia, and Mr. Socrates — focused on cleaning both sides of the road stretching from Rosario Church to St. Ann's College.

What exactly did they do? The volunteers removed garbage, collected non-recyclable plastic waste, cleared unauthorized banners, engaged shopkeepers in awareness conversations, and removed overgrown weeds and grass.

Not glamorous work. But someone had to do it.

Five Black Spots Cleared — And Drains Unclogged Before Monsoon

A dedicated team of senior volunteers took on the more challenging task of clearing five major black spots along the road from Rosario Church to the Post Office.

Black spots, if you're not familiar, are areas where garbage keeps piling up repeatedly — usually corners, under flyovers, or near walls where people make it a habit to dump waste. Getting rid of them once is not enough; the real work is changing the habit.

Smart thinking ahead: the team also focused on monsoon preparedness by clearing clogged drains to ensure unimpeded water flow. With Mangaluru's monsoon just around the corner, blocked drains can turn roads into rivers. This was practical, forward-looking work.

Now, The Problem Nobody Talks About Enough — Illegal Parking

Beyond the cleaning, the drive also shone a light on something that's quietly making things worse.

Volunteers observed a significant number of lorries, cars, and old vehicles parked for extended periods along the roadside from Rosario Hall to the State Bank connecting road — effectively converting public roads into private parking lots.

This kind of unauthorized parking creates dark zones where black spots form easily, poses health and safety risks, and is a daily hazard for the students and children who use that stretch regularly.

The volunteers aren't just complaining — they came with a solution. They are appealing to authorities to regulate parking in the area, suggesting the introduction of a paid parking system that would bring discipline to the situation while also generating some revenue.

Paid parking near Rosario Church? Makes total sense if you've tried walking that stretch on any regular weekday.

This Isn't a One-Time Thing

What makes the Swachh Mangaluru Abhiyan different from those one-day photo-op drives is the consistency. This is a monthly initiative. They come back every month, track the same spots, and keep the pressure on.

The initiative is part of the broader Swachh Mangaluru Prathishtana and receives support from MRPL ONGC — meaning it has both community backing and corporate CSR support to keep running.

If more localities in Mangaluru followed this model — consistent, ground-level, with senior involvement and student energy — the city would look very different.

Key Takeaways

What Happened

  1. 3,000 kg of waste collected and disposed responsibly in a single drive
  2. Drive covered the stretch from Rosario Church to St. Ann's College
  3. 5 major black spots cleared along Rosario Church to Post Office road
  4. Clogged drains cleared ahead of monsoon season — practical thinking
  5. Illegal parking flagged as a root cause for garbage black spots
  6. Volunteers proposed a paid parking system to authorities as a fix
  7. Drive supported by MRPL ONGC and inaugurated by church and industry leaders
  8. This is a monthly drive — not a one-time event



Source & Image Credit : Mangalorean.com