TN: Coast Guard organises drive at Chennai's Marina Beach for International Coastal Clean-up Day

Chennai Corporation staff, NGOs, students and the general public joined the clean-up drive.

"We are all gathered here at Marina Beach. The Coast Guard is organising the International Coastal Clean-up Drive. We have made great plans to conduct this all over India," IG Donny Michael, Commander of Coast Guard Region (East) told ANI.

"I think more than 200 different beaches all over India are being cleaned. In my eastern region, we are also organising a clean-up drive in Vizag, Kakinada and 3-to 4 beaches in Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry besides Chennai. The focus of this clean-up drive is to create awareness amongst the public to keep their beaches clean," he said.

Environmental activists and volunteers cleaned up around 560 seacoasts in Kerala on Saturday as part of observing International Coastal Cleanup Day.

"Different agencies like ministries, departments, NGOs and various organizations are involved in the process of sea coast cleanup this year. The slogan is 'Room for Life'," Cleanup Campaign State Chairman, Dr V Subhash Chandra Bose told ANI.

"Across the world and in India also, in Kerala, around 560 seacoasts have been cleaned by volunteers and environmental activists. Today various types of cleaning activities have happened. Plastic is a major hindrance to the coastal region," he added.

At Shangumugom Beach in Thiruvananthapuram, NCC cadets organised a clean-up drive. The cadets were seen picking up trash lying around the beach.

Meanwhile, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, participated in a Beach Clean-Up Campaign on Saturday at Juhu Beach to mark the International Coastal Clean-up Day.

Governor of Maharashtra, C P Radhakrishnan, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Sambhaji Shinde, and Municipal Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, Bhushan Gagrani, were also present on the occasion.

This global event is observed every year on the third Saturday of September. The campaign is being organised with the Ministry of Earth Sciences and the Maharashtra State Government. The beach cleaning initiative will take place at over 100 beaches across India's coastal states and union territories.

The Ministry of Environment launched a Beach Cleaning Drive in 2018 with the campaign '#IamSavingMyBeach' on World Environment Day, under the theme 'Beat Plastic.' Since then, the Ministry has been organising regular beach cleaning activities with the support of state governments and local bodies.

According to the Ministry of Environment, "The International Coastal Clean-up Day (ICCD) is observed annually on the third Saturday of September. This day aims to inspire people to clean up beaches, raise awareness about the importance of preserving and protecting the world's oceans and waterways, and address the issue of marine trash."

International Coastal Cleanup Day is an International event and is celebrated every year on the 3rd Saturday of September, as a promise to bring cleanliness and greenery to nature and the environment as a whole.

The day was started to raise awareness about the growing pollution on various beaches of the world. (ANI)