The 21 Jan Trip !!!

The Big Big Clean Up at Mutthathi on 21 Jan - was a runaway success so to speak ! In all 37 volunteers ! From all walks of life.

Amount of Plastic collected : 33 sacks weighing 164 kg !!

Here are the pictures
http://picasaweb.google.com/contactcleanandgreen/CG21jan

Excerpts from the Trip Report of 21 Jan 2007

This was a big event so we hired a 50 seater bus and picked up the volunteers before leaving Banashankri at 7.15 Am. Sandeep and Sreepathi left at 6.40 am in Sandeep’s Scorpio to meet the Panchayat President, Fr. Abraham and the RFO.After breakfast at Kanakpura, the bus arrived at Mutthatti shortly before 10.00 am and after a short briefing from Sandeep on plastic collection and segregation the volunteers got to work.

Working in small groups and in pairs we collected the plastic which was largely poly bags, plastic cups and glasses and some amount of PET bottles.We also collected paper plates which were laminated or coated with silver foil. Volunteers took breaks in between but continued to collect plastic till about 12.30 pm, after which teams of 2 to 4 people started compacting the plastic in the large gunny and HDPE sacks which we had carried. As the sacks filled up we stitched the mouth with rafia to prevent the plastic from spilling out. With all the sacks stitched we came to the exciting part of weighing the sacks.

Sandeep had carried a spring balance and a nylon hammock in which 2 sacks were weighed at a time. In all 33 sacks with a record 164 kilos of plastic was carried into our bus and we headed for Bheemeshwari Fishing Camp for a well deserved clean up and lunch. Post lunch we shared ideas of how to improve our efforts in future and involve the local community. After a cup of tea the volunteers left for Bangalore at 4.45 pm.

The plastic was brought back to Bangalore and handed over to K K Plastic, who would recycle it. The highlight of this clean up trip was the presence of emminent members of the Forest Dept and the local community

1. The Panchayat President Sakri Bai, along with 3 other panchayat members
2. RFO, Mr.Kempa Gowda who interacted with our volunteers and spoke to the picnickers requesting them not to litter.
3. Fr. Abraham also volunteered to speak to the important community members to keep the place plastic free.

Mr. Nahar, Resident Manager, of JLR was kind enough to bring these people to the clean up site in his vehicle. He also spent time with the volunteers.

Kinds of Plastic Collected: Water Bottles, Ghutka Wrappers and other variants of it, plastic cups, plates, food content wrappers, soft drink bottles, soft drink cups.

Note from a Visitor

This is a note sent by an angler and a frequent visitor to India and of course the banks of Cauvery.

From: Steve Lockett

To: pccfwl@vsnl.com

Sent: Monday, January 15, 2007 3:12 AM

Subject: Clean and Green

Sir,

I am a regular visitor to India generally, and Karnataka in particular. On my last visit, I attended a conference in Mysore, where the Guest of Honour was Mr D.T.Jayakumar, the Karnataka State Minister for Tourism.

Mr Jayakumar asked me what I felt could be done to improve the image of India in th eyes of Westerners, and I told him the most simple step would be to tackle the problem of littering.

I will be visiting again from February to April of this year and will be pleased to report to both Mr Jayakumar and Mr Singh at the Incredible India office in Bangalore what an impact the Clean and Green scheme is having on the fishing stretches of the middle Kaveri.

As the main protector and guardian of the forests in Karnataka, I hope you understand the importance of the work that Clean and Green are doing. Not only for those who want to fish on the middle stretches of the Kaveri, but for all those whose lives revolve around the river and everyone who wants to enjoy this unique environment.

Under the Constitution of India, article 48a states that there is a duty to improve the environment, particularly with regard to wildlife. Hopefully Clean and Green can assist you in this valuable work.

Many thanks for your participation,

Steve Lockett

Coarsefish-Torbay for:
News and views from the West Country

Prep Work Bonus

Though this was not the inital agenda for the Prep Work - Sreepathy, Sandeep and Nahar met with Fr Abraham. Meeting with Rev. Father Abraham - Local Social activist and Christian Missionary. Participants:

• M/s Nahar - JLR
• Sandeep - C&G and Outrigor
• Sreepathi - C&G

Mr Nahar suggested that we meet Father Abraham, who has been working with the local population since 1990. A person who has been in Muttatti area for a long period and knows the people and the problems. Excerpts below.

• He understands the garbage problem and the need to address it
• Has agreed to play an active role in Awareness Program and subsequent sustenance.

Prep Work Updates

This update is from Sreepathy's report on each of the agenda points

1. Meeting with Village Panchayat Members: Visited Byadarahalli Gram panchayat members at Hosadoddi Village. Participants:

• Nahar - Manager JLR, Bheemeswari
• Sandeep - Member of Clean and Green and MD of Outrigor
• Sreepathi - Member of Clean and Green
  

Met the member Govinda Nayak and Shivanna. The panchayat President is Sakri Bai, wife of Govinda Nayak.

The Participants explained the purpose of the visit and solicited the Panchayat members help, excerpts below.

• Gram Panchayat wanted to carryout this activity on their own but could not due to iadequate funds. They are willing to support the cause and are willing to involve the panchayat machinary for the same.
• Are willing to attend a preparatory meeting before the awareness program and also participate in the event.
• Agreeable to get the local youth to participate in the awareness programme for "Shrama Daan"
• 
  

2. RFO - Mr Kempegowda - could not be met as he was away at Sangam.

3. Could not meet the people identified by him, for the colllection of garbage.

4. Meeting with Mr Khan, Principal, Govt Junior Collge and Shadakshara Swamy, President Eco Club, Kanakapura and NSS co-ordinator. Participants: Sreepathi - C&G

Met them and explained the awareness program and solicited their help in providing NSS Volunteers for the day. Mr Shadakshara Swamy, who is aware of the environmental issues was enthusiastic but wanted to make sure that his students study schedules are not disturbed. As the Awareness Program being planned on a Sunday, he was willing, however we may have Transport and Food issues. Follow up meeting for Friday to iron out these and confirm number of Volunteers.

Prep Work - Initial

As you all know we have a mega event planned on 21 Jan. As part of the preparatory work, Sreepathy had volunteered to visit Bheemeswari and attempt to get local stakeholders involved. He took a day off on 9 Jan from his busy schedule and made this trip.

He went with a five point agenda :

1. Meet the Gram panchayat President and explain the acivities and impress upon the need for local participation and self sustained activity. Get them involved.

2. Meet the RFO (Mr Kempe Gowda) and chalk out action plan for Forest Dept participation in ensuring a sustained mechanism to clean Mutthathi clean.

3. If possible meet the family/members identified for the clean up activity

4. Visit the Kanakapura Govt college and look out for NSS volunteers

5. Action plan for an Awareness Program/Drive

Notes on each of the agenda points and what needs to be carried forward in separate posts.

Jubilations and Celebrations !

Some of the commitments made and decisions taken on this Trip on 7th Jan I consider would set the tone for a sustainable solution.

1. Mr Vijay Vidyarathi (WAASI member) has volunteered to fund the retainer for the local family that can undertake routine cleaning of Mutthathi. A family that can take up the task has already been identified by Mr Nahar (Manager, Bheemeswari CFC) and Mr Bhojuraju (member Clean and Green).

2. Mr Sreepathy (member Clean and Green) has volunteered to make a trip to Kanakapura to visit colleges there to get the NSS teams to participate in the 21 Jan Clean Up activity.

3. Mr Praveen Dwarkanath (Director) MN Infocom Solutions Pvt Ltd, has volunteered to participate in the 21 Jan Clean Up and also get some more participants.

Jaathara - 7th Jan 2007

A Cleaning Trip of a kind !!!

A small set of volunteers of 7 adults and one child went to Mutthathi - all brave and ready to clean up the galeech at the bank of river.

lo and behold ! what a sight that greets the team. A throng of about 4000 worhshippers at the river bathing, washing clothes, cooking, eating, merry making. Should I utter the words I dread to - well litter all over. The task at hand even with a 17 member team on the last trip was too small to tackle the problem at Mutthathi.

So consider with the Jaathara going there was no way that we could have even attempted a clean up. The team went on to Bheemesawri to the CFC and had a meeting with the Manager there. Details of the meeting at CFC are in the trip report - to be posted here soon.

Yet some of the most remarkable decisions and greatest of commitments recieved on this trip need a highlight, so see the next post for the same !