Coimbatore: In a bid to create awareness among planting trees, Manikandan from Ramanathapuram district has been peddling hundreds of kilometers in his bicycle.
Coimbatore: In a bid to create awareness among people about planting trees, Manikandan from Ramanathapuram district has been pedalling hundreds of kilometers on his bicycle.
He started his Inspiring journey on December 13 from Kanyakumari and toured via Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Virudunagar, Madurai, Tiruppur and has reached Coimbatore, today.
Speaking to the press, he recollected," I lost my leg in a sports accident when I was 15 years old. Some people mocked and teased me about this and that made me want to achieve something, hence I started to learn how to ride a bicycle with one leg."
Though he learnt to ride the bicycle to prove himself, he started using his skills to create awareness about important issues.
"I have undertaken a few cycle campaigns to fight for environmental protection. In 2008, I rode from Sivagangai to Chennai insisting the importance of protecting the environment. In 2013, I rode from Rameshwaram to Kanyakumari to create awareness regarding the importance of wearing helmets", he said.
"Pollution is making life difficult for all the people. The kind of pollution that has happened in Delhi can soon happen in TN too and it is our duty to prevent this from happening. If each person can plant one tree that can help a great deal to save the environment", he noted.
Talking about the rest of the journey, he said," travelling via Erode and Salem, I will reach Marina Beach in Chennai on Jan 1st, and meet the CM Edappadi Palanisamy."
Manikandan covers 60km/day and rests at Government schools and offices and then continues his journey the next day. He has covered 1220 kms for this trip.
All expenses of his campaign journeys are borne by his father who is a retired policeman and the support of his wife keeps him going strong, he mentioned. He has two girl children aged 5yrs and 1yr.
He aspires for a government job and is preparing for the government exams. He hopes to be able to undertake many more journeys to create awareness among the people, for various causes.