A youth volunteer team cleared about two tractor-loads of waste from the Kapila riverbank at Nanjangud in Mysuru district on Sunday, reopening a 50-metre stretch of stone steps at the Mallanamoole Math bathing ghat that had been covered by vegetation and accumulated refuse.
The cleanup was organised by the Yuva Brigade as part of Kannada Rajyotsava activities. More than 30 young volunteers began the work at 6.30 am and continued until 2 pm, removing overgrown vegetation from the steps and clearing the river-facing area for public use.
The volunteers entered the Kapila river to remove cloth and clothing, plastic waste, earthen pots, containers and silt-like aquatic growth that had collected in the water and around the bathing ghat. The material taken out during the drive was estimated to fill approximately two tractors.
The stone steps had remained largely hidden under vegetation for several years, according to the report. Their clearance has made the full stretch visible again, allowing residents and visitors to access the bathing ghat more easily. The cleanup also highlighted the quantity and variety of waste accumulating at a public river access point.
The drive was conducted by the Yuva Brigade, with coordinator Chandrashekhar and volunteers including Kishore, Ravishastry, Girish, Sunil, Rangaswamy, Prajwal, Lohith, Srikanth, Ravi Sadashiva, Shilpa, Kusuma, Gautham, Chandan, Shashank, Mahadeva, Nirupam Patel, Sharath Chandra, Kushal, Vikhyath Surya, Rakesh Prajapati, Dharma, Trishika and Neelagreeva participating in the work.
Immadi Siddhaling Swamiji of Mallanamoole Math visited the riverbank during the campaign and encouraged the volunteers who took part in the labour-intensive cleanup. The math also arranged refreshments and lunch for the participants.
The campaign has restored visibility and access to one section of the Kapila riverfront, but the waste removed from the water and bathing ghat points to the continuing maintenance needs of public river spaces. The report did not specify whether a regular municipal or institutional maintenance schedule has been established for the site, or how the removed waste will be processed after collection.
The immediate work concluded after the volunteers cleared the vegetation, stone steps and accumulated waste from the bathing ghat. No further official schedule for continued cleaning or monitoring of the riverfront was announced in the supplied report.
