KOCHI: As a part of ensuring a green and clean Cochin Carnival, over 3,000 students from various schools at Fort Kochi under the leadership of District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) carried out a cleaning drive in the and around the festival area. Various government departments and the residents of Fort Kochi too took part in the cleaning drive.
According to Fr Jenson Varyath, director, Childline, the cleaning drive was organised as a part of the endeavour to ensure that the Carnival is held strictly as per the green protocol. “The cleaning drive began at 9am at Vasco Da Gama Square at Fort Kochi on Friday. The initiative concluded by 10am,” he said.
According to DLSA officers, the aim behind the initiative was to set an example for the rest country. “Cochin Carnival is one of the major New Year festivities held in the country. So, it is becoming the apt platform to launch an innovative initiative of waste management,” said the officers.
“We aimed at instilling values like social responsibilities and duties as a citizen in the future generations,” said the officers. According to Fr Jenson, the waste was segregated into plastic and non-plastic waste. “The students were also made aware of the need to segregate the waste into bio and non-bio degradable,” he said. According to DLSA officers, all the big and small carnivals being organised in and around Fort Kochi will have to strictly adhere to the green protocol.