65 women sanitation workers of MCC honoured on Gandhi Jayanti

Swachh Mangaluru Prathisthana and Mangaluru Ramakrishna Mutt felicitated 65 women sanitation workers of the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) by hosting a special programme, Arpana, on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s 157th birth anniversary at Rajaji Park here on Friday.

The workers were presented with sarees in recognition of their dedicated service.

Speaking on the occasion, Rahul Ratnam Pandey, Commissioner, MCC, said that Swachh Mangaluru Prathisthana, under the guidance of Ramakrishna Mutt, has been creating valuable awareness about cleanliness and segregation of waste at source. “It is extremely important to recognise and appreciate the selfless service rendered by sanitation workers in keeping our city clean. Every citizen must not only respect their service but also extend cooperation by maintaining cleanliness and ensuring that waste is segregated at source,” he said.

Swami Jitakamananda, president of Mangaluru Ramakrishna Mutt, said sanitation work is truly a service to God. “It is our collective responsibility to honour these mothers who are engaged daily in such a sacred service. It is highly commendable that the volunteers of the Prathisthana have organised ‘Arpana’ to recognise and honour sanitation workers who dedicate their efforts towards keeping the city clean,” he said.

President of the Prathisthana Captain Ganesh Karnik said the service rendered by sanitation workers, who begin work early every morning to keep the city clean, is directly connected with the lives of every citizen. “It is our responsibility not merely to recognise their efforts but also to ensure that they receive the respect and dignity they deserve in society,” he said. As the next phase of the ‘Arpana’ programme, volunteers of Swachh Mangaluru will visit the workplaces and homes of sanitation workers during October and organise programmes to honour and appreciate their dedicated service, Capt. Karnik said.

S.P. Anand, secretary of the Dakshina Kannada District Sanitation Workers and Group-IV Employees Association, also spoke.