Mangaluru: A district-wide Swachhata Shanivara drive Saturday saw officials, elected representatives, volunteers and residents clean public spaces across Dakshina Kannada.Teams cleared roadside garbage, cut overgrown vegetation and removed plastic waste from water bodies, besides administering the cleanliness pledge and carrying out shramdaan. Taluk executive officers (EOs) joined panchayat staff and volunteers in the effort.The district administration also cracked down on illegal waste disposal, booking about 190 littering cases so far this year and imposing penalties totalling Rs 2.9 lakh.The campaign was held simultaneously in Puttur, Bantwal, Mangaluru, Moodubidire, Mulki, Belthangady, Kadaba, Ullal and Sullia taluks.In Kadaba, nearly 45km of the Uppinangady–Subrahmanya State Highway leading to Kukke Shri Subrahmanya Temple was cleaned in a coordinated effort involving nine gram panchayats (GPs).The drive was organised by Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat’s (ZP) Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), Kadaba taluk panchayat, Kadaba town panchayat, govt departments and voluntary organisations. It covered Koila, Ramakunja, Alankaru, Perabe, Kutrupadi, Mardala, Aithoor, Bilinele and Subrahmanya GPs.Hundreds participated, including elected representatives, govt officials, ASHA and anganwadi workers, students, self-help groups, educational institutions, religious organisations, Rotary Club, Lions Club, Odiyoor Sangha, Shri Dharmasthala Gramabhivruddhi Sangha, transport unions, merchants’ associations and residents.Within Kadaba town panchayat limits, president Tamanna Zabeen, vice-president Neelavathi Shivaram, members and staff led the campaign, collecting garbage and spreading awareness on proper waste disposal and use of designated dustbins.Dakshina Kannada ZP deputy secretary and Swachh Bharat Mission nodal officer Jayalakshmi Raikod and Kadaba taluk panchayat EO Naveen Bhandary participated in the drive.
