In a new initiative, the Bhubaneswar Smart City limited (BSCl) has started painting murals at Telugu Basti in Saheed Nagar to spread the message of cleanliness and gender equality.
Murals are being painted on walls at entry points of the slum by city based artists and art organizations.
Similarly, murals have also been created at a newly-formed playground at Shanti Nagar in the Kharavel Nagar area. Slum people, including young children cleaned up the 4,000 sq ft area, which was earlier used as open defecation site, for the purpose of playing.
The BSCl with the UNFPA has also taken up the Socially Smart Bhubaneswar Initiative in the BTCD slums to empower adolescent girls, women and students in order to create better society for the Smart City goal.
BSCl General Manager Operations Bijay Kumar Singh said, “The beautiful paintings will not only provide a new look to the BTCD slums, but also create awareness about cleanliness.’’
Recently, Shanti Nagar peer leaders had organised a programme on the occasion of World Water Day where youths from other areas also participated. The youths are planning to orgnaise a cricket match in the playground in coming days.