Mysore/Mysuru: Keeping in view the on-going nationwide ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan,’ members of Mysuru Ex-Servicemen Movement organised a ‘Shram Daan’ this morning where they cleaned the 1,008 steps of Chamundi Hill that leads to Sri Chamundeshwari Temple. 

Armed with huge carry bags, the ex-servicemen assembled at the foot of Chamundi Hill at around 6.15 am and started the cleaning campaign at 7 am. More than 100 former defence personnel were part of the campaign and interestingly, seeing them cleaning the surroundings, people who had come for morning walk too joined hands with them. 

Over 25 cadets from Sainik Academy Mysuru, who have been selected to the Indian Army also pitched in. The cleaning campaign yielded over 25 bags of empty bottles, plastic bags and cups and discarded footwear. The defence personnel were split into teams and they wore tracksuits, masks and hand gloves. 

One of the main objectives of Mysuru Ex-Servicemen Movement is to serve the society by taking up community service and today’s cleaning campaign was part of the community service. 

The campaign was inaugurated by Chamarajanagar Additional Deputy Commissioner C.L. Ananda, who himself is an Army Veteran. Group Captain Ajay Dudeja (Retd), who is a former Commanding Officer and President of Air Force Selection Board, Mysuru, President of VeKare Ex-servicemen Trust and Honorary Legal Advisor of Mysuru Ex-servicemen Movement Mandetira N. Subramani, Administrative Officer of NCC Group Headquarters Colonel  V. Srinivas, President of Mysuru Ex-servicemen Movement Prince, Secretary C.M. Sridhar and Patron V. Mahesh and others were present.

Addressing the gathering before the cleaning campaign, C.L. Ananda complimented the Mysuru Ex-servicemen Movement for doing nation-building activities. “Many retired defence personnel find it difficult to adapt themselves to the mainstream society after being in nation’s service for years. Though there are many welfare organisations and movements for the welfare of ex-servicemen, there is a need for a united front so that one voice can be raised,” he said. 

He urged the ex-servicemen to provide good education to their children and motivate them to take up challenging careers in Armed Forces which would make them lead a disciplined life besides serving the nation. 

War Memorial not yet realised

Mandetira Subramani said that though a proposal has been submitted to Mysuru District Administration in the year 2000 to build a War Memorial in Mysuru, it has not yet been realised. 

He claimed that the land for construction of a Grand War Memorial was earmarked during the year 2000 itself as per his proposal in the vacant land in front of NCC Group Headquarters, Mysuru, by the then Deputy Commissioner Dr. B. Basavaraju. He regretted that the War Memorial is yet to see the light of the day despite a lapse of two decades except for some news appearing once in a while in the media. 

“C.L. Ananda, who was the Assistant Commissioner of Mysuru, who himself had served in the Army for 15 years, took up the cause and completed the necessary process and through the District Administration had sent the proposal to the State Government and Rs. 1.41 crore was earmarked. After this, nothing much has happened,” Subramani added.