Thudimella Mallikarjun drives a mini truck and spends 75 per cent of his salary to keep his and the nearby colonies clean.
Inspired by PM Narendra Modi’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan and CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s own Swachh Hyderabad initiative, Mallikarjun has been able to motivate hundreds of citizens who regularly join him for “spot-fixing” activities.
“Besides cleaning the streets, we identify all the problems in the colonies that come under Alwal circle — we fix the roads if there are potholes, and previously, have built pucca roads, cleaned a government school and built toilets and leveled a ground to create a playground for children. For the rest, we make sure that we approach the concerned government officials,” says Mallikarjun adding, “For instance, the nearby slum didn’t have electricity connection. We got electric metres installed at subsidised rates and requested the government to send tankers since there was water shortage.” The group meets at 6 am every morning to clean a particular area. They also regularly check if the spots they fixed are still clean. “We recently got dustbins from GHMC, so we are hoping that the area remains clean. We also installed an underground drainage pipe of about 10 feet since it needed to be fixed,” he says.
Mallikarjun started the initiative four months ago with nine people and today he has inspired many from neighbouring colonies who join him for the cleaning activities.
“After approaching the municipal corporation to complain and follow up, by the time our grievances are fixed, it takes weeks. We thought it would be easier if we tried to solve the problem ourselves.” The expenses for all the activities is taken care by him alone. “I earn Rs 25,000 per month and spend 75 per cent of it on all these activities. My family has been my biggest support, they help clean with me. My dad was a cook in the Army and I too, wanted to serve in the Army but couldn’t make it. So this is my way of giving back to society,” he adds.
Mallikarjun has approached the government to allot land or permit them to use a floor in the community hall where people from the slum can start a small scale industry of their own and work together.
