‘Swachhata Shapath’ marks the Gandhi Jayanti celebrations at Rourkela

Rourkela, Oct 2: The Swachh Bharat campaign that has been launched Nationwide to focus on mass awareness and lasting behavioural change, entered a decisive phase with taking of the ‘Swachh Bharat’ pledge on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.

It is worth mentioning here that the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has given a clarion call to make Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of a neat and clean Nation come true.

As a part of this Mission, C S Verma, Chairman, SAIL administered the pledge to the SAIL collective through a video conference today. A ‘Swachh SAIL, Sundar SAIL’ campaign has also been launched to mark the occasion.

In the morning G S Prasad, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) led a cleanliness drive along with other senior officers of RSP and office bearers of Rourkela Chamber of Commerce at the Banei gate chowk.

A broom in hand as the CEO swept the street, it struck a note of solidarity with the nationwide campaign and spread the message of ‘Cleanliness is Godliness’.

Quoting the Modi’s speech to make India a clean Nation by 2019, which is the year of the 150th Birth Anniversary of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, Prasad exhorted the Rourkelites to join in the movement with heart and soul.

Notably, Gandhi Jayanti, the Birth Anniversary of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, was celebrated at Rourkela on 2nd October amidst recitation of bhajans, rendition of the mantra of ‘Sarbadharma Samanwaya’ and reminiscence of the life of the Mahatma.

A grand function was organized by the RSP and District Administration, Rourkela at Civic Centre here to mark the occasion.

Many distinguished persons of Rourkela offered floral tributes to the statue of Gandhiji and paid their obeisance. They included the RSP CEO, Mrs Manjari Prasad, President of Deepika Mahila Sanghati, Umesh Kumar, ED (MM), M K Das, ED (Projects), S K Acharya, ED (Projects), Ashwini Kumar, ED (Works) and many other senior officers of RSP and other eminent citizens of the steel city.

The celebration began with the mellifluous rendering of Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite prayer, ‘Baishnaba Janato….’ by Mrs Ashalata Sarangi, an eminent singer, and the artists of Singhari Kala Niketan.

A Sarbadharma Sadhbhawna Sabha was the highlight of the programme. Rendering of portions of Holy Guru Granth Sahib, by members of Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Rourkela, some stanzas from the Holy Bible by a group from Sacred Heart Cathedral Church, Hamirpur, Holy Koran by a group from Ispat Anjuman, Sector-15 and recitation of portions of Srimad Bhagwad Geeta by students from Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Sector-7 were the highlights of the program. Reciting of Bapu’s favourite Ramdhun was another highlight.

The ‘Swachhata Shapath’ was administered in Odia by Prasad to the gathering. The pledge taking in Hindi and English were carried out by Kumar and Das respectively. Thereafter awards were presented to students and employees as well as departments of RSP who have excelled in the various competitions organised to mark the Swachhta Abhiyan.

Meanwhile Prasad laid the foundation stone for toilet facilities at the Jhirpani UP School, Jhirpani and Jabaghat Primary School, Jabaghat.

Interestingly, this year’s Gandhi Jayanti has added a glorious dimension at RSP with the collective taking a pledge to internalise the ethos of sanitation so close to the Mahatma’s heart.