Every day, for the past two years, septuagenarian Suresh Goswami goes to Kasavanahalli lake, once in the morning and again early evening. But unlike other regular visitors, he doesn’t walk around the park or catch up with friends. Instead, he picks up a broom and goes about cleaning the walking track.
Mr. Goswami has not been engaged by anyone to clean the track, but does it to keep fit and do his bit for the neighbourhood. “I have always led an active life. I was with a private tyre company near Meerut and was gainfully employed for 21 years,” he told The Hindu.
When he moved to Bengaluru from Uttar Pradesh four years ago with wife, son and daughter-in-law, he felt that something was missing, which was when he started visiting Kasavanahalli lake, just a stone’s throw away from his house.
“I noticed that the walking track was full of dry leaves and on the spur of the moment, I decided to start cleaning it. This has become my everyday activity,” he said.
Mr. Goswami and his unstinting efforts to keep the walking track clean and improve the neighbourhood he now calls home have become a source of inspiration for many citizen volunteers.
Madhusudhan Venkatesh, a regular visitor to the lake area, said he would often spot Mr. Goswami wielding a broom during his evening walks. “One day, I got curious and asked him why he was cleaning the track. His answer surprised me. He was doing it on his own accord,” said Mr. Venkatesh, adding that citizens could take a leaf out of Mr. Goswami’s book and contribute to society in their own little ways.
