Situated close to the Dr. T.M.A. Pai Planetarium, a church and a temple, The Manna Palla lake in Manipal holds a special place in the history and ecology of the city. A bird lovers' paradise, the Manna Palla is home to thousands of birds, both local and migratory. The soothing water and the green surroundings also see a lot of city residents taking a break from their busy work lives and going for a walk next to the lake. 

To further strengthen this symbiotic relationship between humans and birds in the local ecosystem, and to raise awareness among locals to keep the water bodies clean, Manipal Institute of Communication (MIC), MAHE, embarked on a rigorous lake cleanup activity on Sunday, 29 September 2024. As part of the Government of India's Swachhata Hi Seva Campaign, 2024, the drive was a huge success with students and faculty cleaning the lake, picking up trash and restoring the city's pride back to its pristine state. The Rotary Club Manipal Hills (RCMH) also joined the drive and added to the enthusiasm. 

The Hon’ble director of MIC, Dr Padma Rani flagged of the cleaning mission and professors of MIC Mr Praseed Nair, Mr Akhil Raj, Mr Manas Makani, Mr Manikandan C along with the members of Rotary Club participated in the mission.

Swachhata Hi Seva 2024 (SHS 2024) was observed from 14th September to 1st October, 2024 with the theme of 'Swabhav Swachhata - Sanskaar Swachhata'