Arvind Pai is a second year student at the Amrita School of Business at Kochi. Every time a clean up drive has been organized as part of the Amala Bharatam Campaign at his campus, Arvind has participated.

Below are his random thoughts on the project and his experiences.

I would see a lot of waste paper and plastic on the roads where I walked as well as at public places like railway stations and parks. I would feel bad seeing it, but didn’t really think I could change anything.

I would see the litter but then forget about it. There was no one to really guide or provide a clear picture on what could be done.

This was before our beloved Chancellor Amma started the Amala Bharatam Campaign. Now I know what to do. And what is more, I have started doing it.

On October 31, I participated in the first clean-up drive in the city. Together with my classmates, I helped clean at the Vytila Junction. For three hours in the morning, from 7:30 am to 10:30 am, we removed plastic wrappers, food waste, glass bottles, discarded footwear, clothes and more.

I was a little shocked to realize that trash from what had been a small dumping area in a busy place, filled up a whole lorry. I returned, with a sense of deep satisfaction for having contributed.

This is why, next time, on December 18, when the clean-up drive was organized a second time, I eagerly signed up. The venue was the Collectorate building in Kakkanad.

We started at 9:00 am. The MBA students were assigned clean up in the canteen area. We worked with enthusiasm and passion. When we began, we were few. But soon many people joined in.

We took a small break to eat some snacks that were provided. After the cleaning, my heart was filled with happiness.

We took a pledge to work towards the cleanliness of our country. Step-by-step, we will do it. If every district is cleaned, the whole state can be cleaned. If every state is cleaned, the whole country will become clean. And Amala Bharatam will happen.

I well understand that one or two days of work from a group of students cannot clean the entire system. Waste management is a tough job and cannot be the complete responsibility of a single person or a single entity like a corporation or a municipality. It requires constant effort from all of us; we should not dispose waste just like that in public places.

Now I think students like us who would carelessly throw chocolate wrappers on the roadside have understood how difficult it is to later collect these discarded wrappers.

I have made a firm resolve in my mind that I will be more careful when wasting anything. I think this campaign has created such a feeling in all of us.

We care deeply for our Mother Nature. I hope we, Amma’s young generation, will be able to do something for her.

January 3, 2011
School of Business, Kochi