Let’s stick to clean-and-green efforts even after Ganpati

This picture has been used for representational purpose. Pic/Soorya Karkera

Through Ganeshotsav, this paper has chronicled uplifting work by various mandals that have had restrictions quite rightly imposed on them because of the COVID outbreak. Yet, the causes that have been espoused, messages given and awareness raised have been enough to even make the die-hard critic acknowledge that these have been a soul-stirring 10 days for Mumbai.

It was heartening to see people use a 10-day window to propagate different causes like blood donation, helping the poorest of the poor with stationery for their children, lauding our sporting heroes of the Tokyo Olympics like a Goregaon mandal had done, raising awareness of floods in the city and environmental awareness, too.

Coming to the last point, we even saw groups on beaches everywhere doing clean-ups post visarjan, though of course visarjan has not been on the scale that it usually is. Through the years, there has been an accent on eco-friendly idols and responsible visarjan.

We want this to extend the whole year round and not be a one-off thing for some. From not littering at the beach or when on picnics at water bodies to using every civic facility with respect, let us make environmental awareness a part of our DNA. It should become an effortless, daily practice, gelling in seamlessly into our lives, so that we do not need special initiatives to go clean and green.

We may have reminders every once in a while, which is like a sharp elbow in the ribs, but overall cleanliness, discipline, and dedication to the community should become part of our daily lives. If like they say, life's a beach, all 365 days of the year we must make it a clean one.

Let us all strive to make that come true.