Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept. 21: Swaraj Dweep Forest Division organised a coastal cleanup at the designated Blue Flag Beach at Radhanagar, bringing together local communities, tourism stakeholders and government representatives to address beach waste and raise awareness about protecting the ocean and coastal environment.
The campaign, conducted despite intermittent heavy rain, saw participation from more than 300 volunteers representing various departments and stakeholder groups. The participants included Pradhan and PRI members from Shyam Nagar and Govindnagar panchayats, hotel representatives, lifeguards, trek guides, tour operators, photographers, restaurant association members, vendors, schoolchildren, teachers, women, local villagers, NGOs and other members of the community.
The campaign focused on keeping beaches free of garbage and addressing the problem of waste entering the ocean. Participants also used the programme to raise awareness about the need to preserve and protect the world’s oceans and beaches.
The cleanup was conducted as a “Plogging” activity, with participants walking along the beach while collecting discarded waste. The programme also featured a signature campaign and a selfie corner aimed at encouraging wider public participation and strengthening awareness of coastal conservation.
As part of the event, participants took a pledge reaffirming their commitment to maintaining a clean and safe coastal environment and supporting a sustainable tourism industry.
Around 20 forestry saplings were also planted along the coast under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” plantation initiative, adding a plantation component to the coastal conservation programme.
Children participating in poster and sand art competitions were also recognised during the event. Prizes were distributed to the first, second and third-place winners in the competitions.
The programme also introduced a digital mechanism for documenting participation. QR codes were installed at accessible locations within the beach premises, allowing participants to obtain individual certificates confirming their participation in the beach-cleaning activity.
The involvement of residents, tourism operators, schools, local representatives, government departments and other stakeholders made the cleanup a community-led exercise centred on reducing coastal waste and promoting awareness of the need to keep beaches and marine environments clean.
