Seeing little flags on sale at traffic signals, listening to patriotic speeches with numb ears, lazing around in a holiday mood; that pretty much sums up what Independence Day means to many of our youngsters today.

Yes, the day is supposed to remind you of the brave hearts who won independence for us or think of ways to serve the country better, but then, how many care, you might think. Well, apparently, Kerala still has its share of cool, service-minded youngsters who can show you how to make use of the day to serve the country in your own way. From undertaking cleanliness drives to holding awareness runs, they are out to prove that actions speak louder than words:

Freeing our cities from filth

Team Anbodu Kochi, which comes together for valid causes like helping the Chennai flood victims and cleaning up the ponds of Ernakulam, is all set to transform the Boat Jetty area of Kochi, on Independence Day. Says Bindu Sathyaraj, a member of the group, “Our volunteers have come together for the drive ‘Sundari Kochi’ on August 14 and 15. Alongside cleaning the space, we will also beautify the walls in the premises with artwork. The aim is to do our bit to make Kochi a better, cleaner place, on Independence Day. We believe that the best way to celebrate is by providing your city with what it needs the most.”

The Fort Kochi beach will also welcome a group of young parents, their kids and their teachers, who would join hands to clean it up and also spread messages on environment conservation. Shweta Jyoti, a teacher, says, “We have a small group here which teaches kids about the need to preserve the environment and how it’s to be done, as they are the future of the country. On Independence Day, we want to spread awareness on this, and about a hundred people have expressed their interest to join us. We will be cleaning the beach and sharing some valuable messages on today.”

Similarly, a Trivandrum-based NGO is planning a cleanliness drive at the capital involving college students. Jaynee Joseph, secretary of the NGO, says, “We have spotted certain areas in the city where waste is dumped, The Times of India reported.

We will not only be cleaning them up, but also making sure the areas remains filth-free in the future, by coordinating with the Corporation authorities.
Such tasks shouldn’t be restricted to a single day.”

Some of the adventure junkies of the State will also come together to do their bit for society this Independence Day. A Kochi-based adventure club has urged its members to team up and clean selected areas of the city. Joel Kuriakose, member, says, “We will be cleaning the South Overbridge and its adjoining areas and also paint the walls. Ours is predominantly an adventure activities group, but once in a month we come together for such initiatives. What better way to spend Independance day!”

Rides and runs to spread awareness

For the past few years, a group of riding enthusiasts from Trivandrum have been organising group two-wheeler rides at the capital, to celebrate Independence Day. This time, they have also decided to spread an important message with the ride. Abhijit B R, one of the riders, says, “We had formed a group called ‘Riders Against Rape and Discrimination’ sometime back, and three riders had also gone on an all-India ride to spread the message. For Independence Day this year, we decided to continue with it.” At Manaveeyam Veedhi at Trivandrum, the group will gather, paint the walls with messages promoting the cause, and then take off for a group ride. “Independence is not complete without us getting rid of evils like rape and discrimination. We are doing our bit to stamp these messages in the minds of people,” Abhijith says.

This year too, the KINS Race All Kerala Cross Country will be holding their event launched to spread the idea of ‘Clean Kochi’ which has been on since 1978. The event has brought in runners from far and wide for this noble cause. Sunil Kumar V K, one among the organisers, says, “It started out as a regional event with local participation but now, we have professional athletes too from various parts of Kerala. Our slogan is ‘A better, cleaner tomorrow for Kochi.’

Obstacles from the Corporation

Where there is a will, there should be a way, but not always for these youngsters. Even when they express an interest to take up noble initiatives like cleanliness drives, the authorities often make it tough for them. “What takes up the major part of our time is not gathering people, but getting a clearance from the Corporation. Once, we were told that we are “no contractors” because of which they can’t let us clean the dirty drains and ponds of Kochi. When we inquired about the official steps to get the permission complying rules, all we were told was, ‘We will get back to you’,” says one of the members of a group.

Nonetheless, the bottlenecks and red tape do not deter these young heroes. “We know it’s all part of the system. We are not here to harbour hatred, but to bring about a change regardless of all this. After all, independence was not won in a day,” the group says