Suresh was a very intelligent boy who always stood first in his class. Ram was his best friend.

One day Ram invited Suresh on his birthday. Suresh bought a set of interesting story books as a gift for his friend. As he was walking down the lane to Ram’s house someone threw banana peels on him.

``How uncivilized’, he thought, ``why cannot people use dustbins’’. He looked around and spotted a dustbin. He picked up peel and threw it in there. Most of the garbage was lying around the bin with flies allover.

As Suresh moved ahead, there was a bad smell coming from the open drain which was choked due to the garbage.

Covering his nose with his handkerchief, he reached Ra’s house. Several of his friends were already there. He met Ram’s parents/ he asked, ``Ram, why is your locality so dirty? Do not the municipal corporation people come to clean it?’’

Ram’s mother replied, ``son, those people do come. Dustbins are also there but people are not in a habit of putting the garbage n the bin. They conveniently throw it on the road. Hence cleanness is not maintained’’.

Next day in the class room Suresh discussed this with his class teacher his class teacher said, ``you are right, Suresh. Dirt and unclean surroundings are the cause of many diseases. It is the municipal corporation’s job to clean the city but we need to give support to them. Well, let’s organize a cleanliness drive in Ram’s colony on Sunday’’.

On Sunday, all the students and the class teacher went there. Every one carried a broom and a bucket. They swept the road, collected the garbage and put them in the bin. They cleaned the drain and put insecticides. They also covered the dustbins.

In no time the entire colony was clean. Everyone in the colony came out and saw the children’s efforts and enthusiasm.

The teacher then talked about the importance of cleanliness to them. The people of the colony felt ashamed and realized that it is their duty to keep their surroundings clean.

Some ways in which you can maintain cleanliness

• Throw garbage at fixed places
• Put garbage in bit with a lid.
• Erase graffiti from your school community.
• Do not throw garbage in open drains, parks or other public places.
• Avoid spitting in the open.
• Teaching the importance of cleanliness to someone.
• Get together to clean litter in the school / colony.
• Plant a sapling and take care of it.