Mysore/Mysuru: The nation is currently celebrating a fortnight-long cleanliness festival from Sept. 15 to Oct. 1, as part of the ongoing Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2023 campaign with the theme ‘Garbage-Free India.’ This initiative aims to demonstrate unity and determination, drawing inspiration from PM Modi’s call for cleanliness.

Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri, announced on Friday that more than 6.4 lakh sites have been adopted across the country as part of a nationwide cleanliness drive on Oct. 1.

Under this drive, various vulnerable areas where garbage accumulates, such as railway tracks, railway stations, airports, surrounding areas, water bodies, ghats, slums, marketplaces, places of worship, and tourist spots, will be cleaned.

In Mysuru, a campaign is underway at Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens (Mysuru Zoo). Awareness programmes have been conducted to educate visitors about safeguarding the health and well-being of Zoo animals by maintaining a clean and litter-free environment.

As part of the campaign, visitors are encouraged to deposit plastic bottles at the Zoo’s entrance to prevent irresponsible disposal inside the Zoo and animal enclosures. These bottles are returned to respective owners upon exiting through gates.

The culmination of this year’s celebrations will occur on Oct. 1, when the entire government and citizens of the country will collaborate for cleanliness drives in various locations as part of ‘Ek Tareekh Ek Ghanta Ek Saath’ – a national call to action for 1 hour of citizen-led ‘Shramdaan for Swachhata’ at 10 am.

Awareness programmes, cleaning drives and other environmentally friendly activities will take place at the Zoo, Karanji Lake Nature Park and Chamundi Animal Conservation, Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Koorgalli.