Mangaluru : The Ramakrishna Mission now intends to spread the message of cleanliness to villages too. Under Swachh Mangaluru Ramakrishna Mission organised over 400 cleanliness drives in Mangaluru city.

The Mission has organised a workshop for heads and panchayat development officers of gram panchayats in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts in Mangaluru on Sunday. Swami Jitakamanandaji, Mission secretary and Mangaluru Ramakrishna Mutt president, told presspersons that the Swachh Mangaluru Abhiyan has been under way for two-and-a-half years. Under its 3rd phase, the abhiyan would complete 400 drives on May 28. It is being replicated in other towns, including Puttur, Bantwal, Sringeri, Kalladka, Mysuru etc.

Not just about cleaning the streets and drains, the abhiyan has been able to create awareness among people about maintaining their surroundings too, Swami Jitakamanandaji said.

H.K. Patil, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister, will inaugurate the workshop at 10 a.m. at the mutt near Mangaladevi. It will see sessions from experts, including Swami Ekagamyanandaji, convener of Swachh Mangaluru, MLCs Ganesh Karnik and Kota Srinivasa Poojary and M.R. Ravi, CEO, Zilla Panchayat, Dakshina Kannada.

Asked whether the Mission would conduct cleanliness drives in villages too, he said it depended on the response from gram panchayats. If the panchayats come forward and the Mission gets sponsors, it would take the drive to villages too, he said.

The concluding day of 400th Swachh Mangaluru Abhiyan on June 11 would also witness the reopening of Arise-Awake Park near Pavan Apartments in Karangalpady.