Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala (SP)

Karkala, Feb 27: Some people are incorrigible. Efforts to create an awareness among them simply go waste. Frustrated by the callous attitude of the citizens, a senior citizen from here has been devoting two hours every day to pick waste from public places. He has created a fine example for others to follow.

Felix Vaz (71), resident of Mangalapade here, has made it a habit to pick waste because of his concern for environment. In the mornings, he spends two hours cleaning public places. He has been doing this service for the last seven years. His love for nature has brought him appreciation all around.

Felix says that when he started to do this initially, people used to give a strange look and they seemed like feeling uncomfortable and awkward. Now, the awareness has spread, and the people have been giving importance to cleanliness, he says.

On Sundays, Felix joins hands with Karkala Swachh Brigade team as part of his cleanliness campaign. He moves around his car to put together waste, in spite of rising cost of fuel.

Felix worked abroad for 35 years. It has been 11 years since he returned for good. Feeling frustrated at the filth that is spread around, he made it a practice to clean the public places. To stop people from spreading waste, he has hung waste collection bags near Swaraj Maidan. After he collects waste put together during the day, civic workers take the waste away.