Navy observed international coastal clean-up day

Indian Navy on Saturday celebrated the 36th International Coastal Cleanup Day. The International Coastal Cleanup began more than 30 years ago when communities rallied together with the common goal of collecting and documenting the trash littering their coastline. Every year, on the third Saturday in September, the International Coastal Cleanup Community encourages people around the world to remove trash and debris from beaches, waterways and other water bodies, to identify the sources of the litter, to change behaviours that cause pollution and to raise awareness on the extent of the marine debris problem.

Eastern Naval Command (ENC) on the occasion, undertook Coastal Cleanup Drive at Yarada Beach, Bheemili Beach and other sea fronts within premises of naval units at Visakhapatnam. Approximately 500 Naval personnel, Defence Civilians and their families carried out the cleanup drive following the prevailing COVID19 protocols. The Southern Naval Command observed the day  with focus on mangrove plantation and clearance of plastic/non-biodegradable waste along waterfront areas in and around Kochi. Pursuant to the global campaign of keeping coastlines clean, more than 600 Naval personnel and the families of Southern Naval Command undertook clearance of plastic and non-biodegradable waste at different locations spread across the city, coastal areas such as Fort Kochi beach, Thevara waterfront, Willingdon Island, Cherai beach, Bolgatty and around 2 km stretch of the Venduruthy channel while restoring around 1 lakh sqm of mangroves to the pristine condition.

In addition, 80 mangrove saplings were also planted along the Venduruthy channel. Similar coastal cleanup drives and lectures/webinars/competitions emphasising protection of coastal and marine environment were undertaken with enthusiastic participation of the Naval community at other outstation Naval units located at Lonavala, Jamnagar, Chilka, Coimbatore, Goa, Ezhimala and Mumbai. INS Netaji Subhash and IMS Adyar also onserved the  Coastal Cleanup Day in Kolkata and Chennai respectively.