A wave of cleanliness activities swept through the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as part of the ongoing Swachhata Hi Seva 2025 campaign, bringing together schools, communities, municipal bodies, and scientific institutions in a large-scale effort to promote hygiene, waste segregation, and sustainable practices.
At Campbell Bay, the Nicobar Forest Division observed International Coastal Cleanup Day with a focused drive at B-Quarry Beach under the theme “Tackling Textile and Fashion Waste.” Local residents, department staff, and panchayat members cleared the stretch of marine litter and ensured its disposal through the Solid Waste Management Unit. The event also tied in with the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign, where participants planted 25 saplings of fruit-bearing and coastal species to link cleanliness with environmental restoration.
Parallel efforts were carried out across Sri Vijaya Puram city under the leadership of the Municipal Council. A visible cleanliness drive covered all 24 wards, with Safai Mitras trimming bushes, clearing drains, and removing waste from main roads and residential areas. Residents, councillors, and community groups joined hands with sanitation workers, underscoring the spirit of Jan Bhagidari (people’s participation). Officials reiterated that cleanliness is not the sole responsibility of municipal staff but a shared civic duty.
Schools also became active partners in the campaign. Students, teachers, and Safai Mitras took part in extensive drives within classrooms, corridors, playgrounds, and nearby areas. The Swachhata Awareness Team (SAT) sensitized participants on proper waste segregation, scientific disposal methods, and the importance of maintaining hygienic surroundings. These initiatives reflected growing awareness among the younger generation about civic duty, environmental stewardship, and the link between cleanliness and public health.
Beyond educational institutions, heritage sites too were brought under the campaign. Cleanliness drives at the National Memorial Cellular Jail and Veer Savarkar Park focused on maintaining hygiene while preserving the sanctity of these historic spaces. Officials and workers emphasized that maintaining cleanliness at such sites is not only about sanitation but also about respecting the cultural and historical legacy they embody.
The coastal stretches of Port Blair were also at the centre of action. At Corbyn’s Cove Beach, a mass cleanup was jointly organized by the Municipal Council and the Indian Coast Guard. Families of Coast Guard personnel, sanitary staff, and residents participated in removing litter from the popular beachfront. The collected waste was carefully segregated, with dry waste sent to the Dry Resource Centre for recycling. Another drive in the same area saw public representatives and citizens collaborating with sanitary workers to restore the coastal environment, highlighting the shared responsibility of safeguarding public spaces.
Adding to the momentum, the Atal Centre for Ocean Science and Technology for Islands (ACOSTI), a unit of the National Institute of Ocean Technology, marked International Coastal Cleanup Day at Rangachang Beach. The initiative focused on reducing plastic waste and reinforcing the government’s mission to phase out single-use plastics. Alongside cleanup, awareness programmes targeted schoolchildren, tourists, and local communities with messages on the 3Rs, reduce, reuse, recycle. Around 75 volunteers collected nearly 490 kilograms of marine litter, which was handed over to the local panchayat for safe disposal.
The Municipal Council has also announced that the Visible Cleanliness Drive will continue across all wards, calling on residents, associations, and organizations to actively participate in keeping their neighbourhoods clean and hygienic.
From classrooms to coastlines, the campaign has become a collective movement across the islands, reinforcing the principle that cleanliness and environmental sustainability are deeply linked to civic responsibility. Together, the drives at schools, beaches, heritage sites, and urban wards underscored the idea that cleaner surroundings and healthier communities can only be achieved through united action.
