Udupi: A youth who is undertaking nationwide cycle yatra to bring awareness about the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan reached the temple town on Thursday, July 23.
Abhishek Kumar Sharma, aged 29, from Fatehgarh, Uttar Pradesh, is on a nationwide bicycle tour to spread awareness for the cause of cleanliness and sanitation. A MSc,MPhil degree holder, Abhishek was inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who himself cleaned the garbage outside the Mandir Marg Police Station in New Delhi on October 2, 2014.
Abhishek started his bicycle cleanliness mission from Fatehgarh on November 10 2014. He has travelled 14 states covering 10,900 kilometres till date and reached Udupi on Thursday. His father Brijesh Kumar Sharma is a police officer in Bareilly, his brother is a scientist in Karnal and his younger sister is pursuing her education. All of them support his cause, for which he stepped out of his house with a backpack, a laptop for presentations, a DSLR, internet dongle and a smart phone.
Speaking to mediapersons, Abhishek said that he was inspired by the Prime Minister’s call for Swachh Bharat. To undertake this journey and to motivate people towards the cause, he resigned from his job and ensured that he devotes an entire year to the cause of Swachh Bharat. He has planned to cover 29 states and three union territories and raise awareness about personal hygiene, sanitation and cleanliness. “If I can sensitise even one person in each city or village, I will think that my initiative has been successful,” says Abhishek.
He said, “For the last nine months, I have been travelling on the bicycle, spreading the message of Swachh Bharat by giving lectures in colleges, universities, government and private organisations throughout the country. Till date, I have lectured in about 2,478 schools and colleges, and I feel that there is a need to bring about a change in the attitude and mindset of the people.”
He says that he has given one year of his life to the nation, and by doing so, he is trying to fulfill his responsibility towards his motherland. He feels that the nation is going through a rigorous transition phase and everyone has to come forward to ensure that the country is able to adapt to major changes in the coming years.
We need these abhisheks in every family. The ‘swachcha bhaaratha’ campaign will succeed only when we change our approach towards cleanliness.
Dear readers,
Indians gained freedom under the leadership of Gandhiji, but his dream of a clean India is still unfulfilled. Mahatma Gandhi said “Sanitation is more important than independence”. He made cleanliness and sanitation an integral part of the Gandhian way of living. His dream was total sanitation for all. Cleanliness is most important for physical well-being and a healthy environment. It has bearing on public and personal hygiene. It is essential for everyone to learn about cleanliness, hygiene, sanitation and the various diseases that are caused due to poor hygienic conditions. The habits learnt at a young age get embedded into one’s personality. Even if we inculcate certain habits like washing hands before meals, regular brushing of teeth, and bathing from a young age, we are not bothered about cleanliness of public places. Mahatma Gandhi said, “I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.”
Gandhiji dwelt on cleanliness and good habits and pointed out its close relationship to good health. No one should spit or clean his nose on the streets. In some cases the sputum is so harmful that the germs infect others. In some countries spitting on the road is a criminal offence. Those who spit after chewing betel leaves and tobacco have no consideration for the feelings of others. Spittle, mucus from the nose, etc, should also be covered with earth. (Navajivan dated 2 November, 1919).
http://www.gandhi-manibhavan.org/gandhiphilosophy/philosophy_environment_sanitation.htm
On 2nd October, 2014, the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, launched a nation-wide cleanliness campaign on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary.Though BJP succeeded in stealing Mahatma ‘goggle’ for this cause under new brand of ‘Swachh Bharat’ neither toilets came nor temple got its sanity left. Only some potshot exposing themselves with brand new ‘Jaddu’ in pre dumped garbage.
Everyone must be his own scavenger. – M. K. Gandhi
Is PM Modi with his 10 crores of party cadres of world largest national party who showed extra ordinary skills of bringing down the ‘Babri Masjid’ in less than 24Hrs;can show the same labour cleaning the ‘Ganges’ and manual scavenges?
Can we expect Mr.Abhishek to get down from bicycle to be joined by Mr.Original from US and clean the dumps of Mahanagarpalika of Bangalore? Joined by ‘Karsevaks’ of the demolition squard to give makeover in to ‘Garden city’ from getting ‘garbage city’?
Jai Hind