Sir,

I read with interest a news item (not in SOM) about the expectations of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) to maintain city’s cleanliness by Educational Institutions “AT THEIR EXPENSES.” Expecting community participation is most welcome, but in the name of instilling awareness about cleanliness, it is not justifiable that an organ of the responsible Government Administration, like MCC, escaping from its own commitment towards keeping the city clean. That’s point number one.

Secondly and most importantly, where is the TIME and where is the MONEY for the students to involve themselves in such social activities, when they are fighting hard to attend to their own academic demands.

The report, “EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS MAY ADOPT PROMINENT ROADS” in a national daily and the detailed story brought mixed response from me. The opinion of the MCC Health Officer “to develop a sense of civic responsibility’’ is nothing but a public confession of the failure of his Department. We the teachers do all these in schools and colleges as part of training and involve now and then in helping the civic authorities in cleaning this city. But to hold them responsible totally by “offering junctions and roads of the city” as reported, is a clear desertion and dereliction of their assigned duty and passing the buck officially on to the innocent students.

It is heartening to know that MMK & SDM and Maharani’s Colleges have offered their co-operation. But the parents and Principals should give a second thought and see if they are right in creating a diversion to students from their already demanding commitment to studies.

If this is unchecked a day will come when you will assign the duties of Hospital Wardens and Nurses, and Road Safety Wardens and check irregularities in Fair Price depots etc. Please leave the students alone and do your duty for which the tax-payer pays you salary.

The annual project of Swachh Survekshan is a laudable one but please let us not run away from our own duty and disturb the academic projects of students of many institutions. Let it be clear that keeping the city clean is the Duty and Responsibility of City Corporation. If the MCC is really serious, the area Corporators along with the Health Officers can request the public to participate in an awareness programme about this very important issue in their own localities. Students can also lend their support.

On the contrary, MCC should create study centres and institute scholarships to meritorious children with the co-operation of MNCs and not become an impediment in their scholastic endeavours. Let us all do our duty sincerely and Swachh Survekshan will also be a success.

– Prof. K.V. Satyan, V.V. Mohalla, 30.7.2019

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