Udupi: On Sunday, most of the people like to over sleep or simply relax. But, this group of cleanliness workers is an antithesis to this. As soon as the sun rises, this group, armed with brooms and baskets begin their day’s work of removing garbage on the roads and cleaning up the city.

This cleanliness drive by the doctors and staff of Gandhi Hospital is now in its 18th month. Many like-minded people have joined this group in is model initiative. The hospital administrative director Dr. Harishchandra and medical director Dr. Vyasaraj Tantri decided to realize their aim to clean the city on Vivekananda Jayanthi January 12th, 2017. Armed with broom and basket, they started their cleanliness drive at city bus stop and Kalsanka locality. Even the youth have joined in.

We have placed dustbins to encourage the pedestrians to dispose of any garbage in it instead of on the road or the drainage. Cleanliness work is done by the corporation here. But, we are working with aim to support them and to encourage others. We are ready to provide waste basket and support to anyone willing to start this work, says Dr. Vyasaraj Tantri.

Not only the nurse and other staff, even a doctors group joins in with this work. The administrative director Dr. Harishchandra M. has never missed a day on cleanliness work by the group. This group is now also made up of lecturers, retired bank employees and students. Normally, the group is made up of 15-20 members. On the first 25 Sunday’s, the members of ‘Namma Mane Namma Mara’ too took part in the work.

Every Sunday, without a miss the cleanliness work takes place from 6 am to 7am. All the garbage from the bus stop to Kalsanka area is swept clean. Dustbins sponsored by the hospital have been placed along the footpaths. It is easy to remove garbage from these dustbin boxes that do not get filled with water. These dustbins are regularly emptied by the corporation’s civic workers.