First-Of-Its-Kind! India To Conduct Mega-Coastal Cleanup Drive Across 75 Beaches For 75 Days

The government announced a coastal clean-up initiative for 75 beaches this year, on June 16, in a meeting chaired by the Union Minister Jitendra Singh at Prithvi Bhawan, Ministry of Earth Sciences, New Delhi. The clean-up drive will commence from July 3 to September 17, 2022, designated as the 'International Coastal Cleanup Day 2022'.

The 75 days drive will be the most extended clean-up in India's history. Coincidentally, India is also celebrating 75 years of independence this year, 'Amrit Mahotsav' on August 15.

While International Coastal Clean-up Day is usually celebrated on September 3, this year, it will be falling on September 17, which is also the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as cited in the Mint.

First-Of-Its-Kind Clean-up Drive

The clean-up has been hailed as one of its kind as it will be the longest-running drive with the highest amount of participation and spreading awareness, which, according to Singh, is also one of the reasons for the campaign, 'Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar,' as per the government press release.

The campaign will aim to clean around 1,500 tonnes of waste material from the Indian coasts, relieving not only the tourists or locals but also the aquatic life and marine animals endangered by littering on the shores.

Even one cigarette butt floating for one hour in the ocean can pollute eight litres of water, and cleaning up removes toxins from the water and seafood. Most of the coastal regions rely on tourism and fisheries. Hence, beach clean-ups are essential for their livelihood and encourage the local economy, according to The Environmentor.

Preparation For International Coastal Cleanup Day

The Union Minister recommended to the environment and climate change departments in India that alongside coastal regions, non-coastal areas should also propagate the clean-up campaign so that locals can participate in cleaning their environment.

During the meeting, Singh also reviewed the nitty-gritty of the celebration, for example, the logo, tag lines, themes, etc. He has further requested officials to boost morale by conducting pre-event activities on the beach as a prelude to the main clean-up drive.

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