Beach cleaning campaign

Today morning, I decided to do the besant nagar beachfront walk. The weather was mild with a very light drizzle breezing in and out.I saw a lot of activity, and banners fluttering. When I went nearer i could see it was a community project of Canara bank. Cleaning the beach sands was their engagement with the besant nagar community. Canara bank had also lined up a few of their vans fitted with public address system near the sands. They had carried with them garbage disposal bags which they were distributing to their staff/officers. Every one of them was sporting a canara bank cap and were carrying a stick. I wondered for a second, before i could make out that it is a sharp stick to pick up papers/cartons/plastic waste.All of them were also wearing hand gloves.I saw swarms of them all along the beach right up to the sea. No, it was carried out with a lot of verve and commitment. It was not a casual affair, but involvement of the entire team was distinctly visible.I saw some of them crawl under the food carts and pick up scraps of paper or paper plates; some of them were hunting for waste in the small shrub near the urur kuppam; they were constantly bending down and picking up even small papers/baloon pieces. There was lot of bonhomie about and they were hunting in groups of four or five.The public address system in the meanwhile was exhorting them to fill their bags and announcing prizes for 'best performance'. I coudl hear snatches of conversation, 'Sowcarpet branch manager has come"; madam, this is your fourth bag, very good; please replace my gloves"..

It was a surprise time off for the regular garbage cleaners.They were standing bemused near their garbage bins, helping the canara bank staff empty the rubbish into them.

But there were the usual sceptics.What would life be without them to add the sour taste? One senior citizen was giving an unsolicited comment to his wife 'ellam eyewash'. What is eyewash? That they are employees of a public sector bank, involved with cleaning a stretch of beach( an essential function) and doing a very thorough and competent job of it. No promises were made that they would do it everyday for eternity; nor were they making a point that they can be very good 'beach cleaners' better than the regular contractor. Every one of them had taken time off and doing a good work without in any way disturbing the beachwakers or the residents .

Yes they were trying to create an impression in people's mind, that they care for the community and they are not snobbish to be involved in cleaning rubbish from the beach.I will remember this act and will help them to stand out from the clutter.A space in our hearts,is what they were attempting and they succeeded with me.

I was thinking about society women who were the only ones interested in cleaning slums in those days, doing all this for the media mileage that they were assured of. Corporates were very rarely involved in such activities.

Welcome, new trend!