Mysuru/Mysore: What better way to pass on a social message than use the medium of performing arts? Aiming to motivate Mysureans to become active agents of healthy living along with keeping their surroundings clean, Bengaluru-based Chukki Talkies Kala Thanda is performing street plays across the city.

These street plays draw the attention to issues of open defecation, public sanitation, wet waste and solid waste management. 

K.S. Swaroop, Prasith Perera, Sharan, Ramesh, Pushpalatha, Shivani and Karthik are the team members of Chukki. 

Sharing his thoughts on this initiative, Swaroop, who leads the team said, “We are doing this as part of the Swachh Bharat campaign for proper sanitation and solid waste management because we want to make Mysuru an open-defecation-free city and also help it regain the ‘Cleanest City’ ranking. 

The street play sends across a very impactful message that connects with people. “Since awareness plays a major role in understanding the need for sanitation we have collaborated with the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) to stage these street plays,” he added. 

Performers gather in crowded areas like bus stands and markets and create awareness on public sanitation, door-to door garbage collection, requirement of individual toilets, community toilets and solid waste management.

Members of Chukki Talkies theatre troupe are highlighting the importance of keeping the city and our surroundings clean through street plays and are leaving an imprint on the minds of onlookers.

The importance of segregation of solid waste at source, recycling and limiting usage of plastic and other such things are the highlight of the street plays.

The plays are being conducted at 150 locations covering all the 65 Wards of the MCC. MCC officials said the drive will create greater awareness not only on source segregation but also on plastic management.

In the 2019 survey, Mysuru was ranked the third cleanest city in the country and the MCC is bracing to regain the top slot this year. Mysuru has consistently been ranked in the top 5 and has twice bagged the cleanest city tag — 2015 and 2016.

It may be mentioned here that during a Plogathon held last Sunday before the arrival of assessment teams for Swachh Survekshan 2020 under Swachh Bharat Mission, Mayur, a resident of Agrahara in city, had collected 2.3 kgs of single-use plastic waste. He was given a cheque of Rs.10,000 by the MCC. Mayur was inspired by the street play staged by Chukki Talkies Kala Thanda to take part in this Plogathon.