Coimbatore-based NGO, Ver Foundation, organized an awareness campaign in order to sensitize the public to exercise their right to vote. The campaign was organized at VOC Park aims to achieve 100 percent polling in Coimbatore in the upcoming May 16 elections.

As part of this campaign, messages about creating awareness among public to cast their vote responsibly were printed on a huge flex board. Inflated balloons were placed so that they hid the messages. The volunteers of Ver Foundation asked the public to burst a balloon each, to reveal the messages on the flex board. About 250 quotes prompting the public to cast their vote responsibly in the upcoming elections were revealed. After reading the messages, the public also participated in a signature campaign declaring that they will cast their vote this May.

Several first-time voters too participated in the campaign. The volunteers of the NGO interacted with all the participants and advised them to make a calculative choice and vote for the right candidate in the upcoming elections. About 1,000 people participated in the signature campaign.

“We expected this event to last for just two hours only. However, motivated by the response and participation from the public, we have extended the duration of this event,” Vasanth T, founder of Ver Foundation, said. This is the 11th event organized by the foundation. Earlier, the NGO organized a marathon, as part of this campaign.

“After the elections, we plan to organize a mass event involving various NGOs, corporate houses, and the government. We have a target of planting 50,000 saplings in Coimbatore in the next three years. We will host meetings, join hands with various sources, and plan a schedule to achieve this target,” D. Santosh, secretary of Ver Foundation, said.

The core members of the NGO hope that the initiative of planting saplings in Coimbatore will help deal with the climate changes, and reduce pollution, among other things.