IN a massive cleanliness drive throughout the state of Kerala, lakhs of people gathered under the banner of CPI(M) in every street to clear off the garbage accumulated in public spaces. This initiative taken by the Party ahead of the monsoon season is to ward off the threat of epidemics that may result during the monsoon season with garbage piled up in many places and the failure of the state government to launch the pre-monsoon cleaning drive. The present UDF government also scuttled the garbage free Kerala project initiated by the previous LDF government. Last November, the CPI(M) had launched a people's initiative for garbage free Kerala. This pre-monsoon cleaning drive reflected the mass base and well knit organisational strength of the CPI(M). Participating volunteers all over the state pledged to save the people from falling ill. Around 400,000 Party members, lakhs of Party sympathisers and people from all walks of life took part in the cleaning drive in 30,000 centers across the state. Volunteers collected huge quantity of plastic waste from households and public spaces, which was stored for further recycling. They also launched an awareness campaign to reduce use of plastic. CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan inaugurated the cleaning drive at Vazhuthakkad in Thiruvananthapuram. He said that physical effort is essential to attain the goal of garbage free state as mere speeches are not going to work. Along with Party workers, Kodiyeri collected plastic garbage from the households in MP Appan Road. CPI(M) district secretary Kadakampalli Surendran, state committee members M Vijayakumar, V Sivan Kutti MLA, Mayor K Chandrika, Dr A Sampath, MP also participated in the drive. Central Committee members Vaikom Vishwan and P K Sreemathi led the cleaning drive in Kottayam and Kannur districts respectively. Central Committee Member TM Thomas Isaac led the cleaning drive in Kozhikode. Apart from CPI (M) cadres, workers of class and mass organisations, and voluntary organisations attended the drive. CPI (M) led local bodies will continue the drive in the coming days.