Pics by : Divaker Hiriyadka
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Udupi, Oct 26: The three-day ‘Nadige’ campaign, organised by Avinash Kamath in collaboration with NSS Units 1 and 2 of MGM College, Udupi, concluded on Sunday, October 25, with the collection of 20,000 pairs of footwear for recycling and distribution to underprivileged children.
The campaign, held from October 23 to 25, aimed to collect used or unused footwear in good condition, recycle and refurbish them into usable footwear, and distribute them to children in need.
The valedictory programme was held on Sunday. Addressing the gathering, environmental expert Dinesh Holla stressed the importance of protecting biodiversity and preserving the environment. He observed that environmental degradation had led to several adverse consequences, including the need to survey drought-affected regions even during the monsoon season.
He also highlighted the increasing number of disasters in the Western Ghats due to human interference and emphasised that every living species plays an essential role in maintaining ecological balance.
He pointed out that the improper disposal of used materials causes environmental damage and appreciated the initiative to recycle footwear for a social cause. He further suggested expanding the campaign in the coming years to include clothing, assuring the organisers that he and his team would extend their support to the initiative and help those in need.
The programme was attended by GreenSole co-founder Ramesh Dhami and CSR head Vinita Fernandes; Ashwath S L of Creative Education Foundation, Karkala; Sampath Shetty, chairman of Sri Krishna Prasad Group of Industries; Arjun Bhandarkar of Mangaluru-based Sale Life Charitable Trust; Bharat Shetty, treasurer of Sujnana Education Institution, Kundapura; and Abigail, among others.
As part of the programme, 30 students from a primary school in Udupi were provided with footwear, bags and mats manufactured by Mumbai-based GreenSole.
Campaign organiser Avinash Kamath delivered the introductory remarks and spoke about the initiative's progress over the three days. Appreciating the response to the campaign, he announced that the 20,000 pairs of collected footwear would be dispatched to Mumbai on Tuesday for further processing.
The programme was compered by Suchith Kotian, coordinator of the NSS units at MGM College. NSS volunteers actively participated in and supported the campaign.