Action follows months of inaction by civic authorities
MOIRA RISING: Local youths of Moira collect bags of waste during a cleanliness drive at Moira Patto on Sunday, stepping in to restore the neglected footpath after months of inaction by the authorities.
MAPUSA
When civic authorities fail to act, citizens often step in – and that spirit of community responsibility was on display in Moira on Sunday, as local youths dedicated their weekly holiday to a cleanliness drive.
In a commendable act of civic engagement, a group of young volunteers led by Gitesh Maulenkar and Raj undertook a comprehensive clean-up of the entire Patto stretch.
The area, a historically significant and popular evening promenade, had been neglected for months. Overgrown dry grass left behind after the monsoon had completely engulfed the footpath, forcing pedestrians off the walkway and creating conditions conducive to anti-social activities.
Armed with basic tools and taking necessary safety precautions, the youths cleared thick patches of dry grass and collected large quantities of waste littered across the footpath.
Maulenkar said the group was compelled to act after repeated inaction by the concerned authorities.
“Moira Patto is a historical place frequented by people in the evenings. Due to the overgrown grass, people had stopped coming here. When nothing was done, we decided to take the initiative ourselves,” he said.
Raj, another key organiser, said cleanliness should not be limited to one’s immediate surroundings.
“Why keep only our neighbourhood clean when we can keep the whole village clean?” he asked, adding that this drive marked just the beginning.
He assured that more such initiatives would be organised and appealed to other youths to join the mission to keep Moira clean and green.
Local resident Armando Alvares lauded the youths for their efforts and thanked them for setting an example through responsible community action.
