Kochi, July 10: Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Tourism Suresh Gopi urged citizens to make cleanliness an integral part of their daily lives, stating that a nation that upholds personal and environmental hygiene is truly prosperous. He was inaugurating the Swachhata Pakhwada campaign organised by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited at Amrita Vidyalayam, Perumbavoor.
Suresh Gopi further said that BPCL's biogas plant project played a key role in transforming Kochi's Brahmapuram from a massive waste dump into a model of sustainable waste management. He described the initiative as a globally recognised example of environmental restoration and green development.
As part of the programme, the Minister administered the Swachhata Pledge to students and planted a sapling on the school campus. Swachhata Pakhwada is a fortnight-long nationwide cleanliness campaign conducted by the Government of India to promote sanitation, cleanliness and scientific waste management. As part of the campaign, BPCL has been organising several cleanliness drives across the country, including beach clean-up activities at Kuzhuppilly and Fort Kochi. In his address, Suresh Gopi also highlighted the message of "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" (A Tree in the Name of Mother) and urged every citizen to plant a tree as a tribute to their mother.
The event was attended by Chacko M. Jose, Executive Director, BPCL Kochi Refinery; Geetha Suresh, Administrator, Amrita Vidyalayam; and Meena Kasthuri, Principal, Amrita Vidyalayam. During the programme, prizes were distributed to winners of the cleanliness awareness quiz competition organised for students. Hygiene kits were also presented to school support staff, and saplings were distributed as part of the campaign.
