NIOT campaign promotes cleanliness at school

A fortnight-long cleanliness initiative was launched by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) through its island field centre, Atal Centre for Ocean Science and Technology for Islands (ACOSTI), in Sri Vijaya Puram. As part of the Swachhata Pakhwada campaign, scientists from NIOT visited the Government Senior Secondary School (GSSS) in Bathubasti on July 4 to conduct an awareness drive among students and staff.

This outreach programme forms part of a broader national cleanliness mission spearheaded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Directed by NIOT’s Chennai headquarters, the initiative is being observed between July 1 and 15 across ACOSTI’s operations in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

During the school visit, NIOT scientists interacted with students and teachers, emphasizing the need to adopt hygienic practices and minimize single-use plastics to protect coastal and marine ecosystems. The session included demonstrations and discussions on environmental responsibility, aiming to instill a culture of cleanliness among young minds.

The visiting team was welcomed by the school principal, J. Dasan Pushparaj, who acknowledged the team’s efforts in aligning educational outreach with the goals of the Swachh Bharat Mission. He expressed appreciation for the team’s gesture of donating daily-use sanitisation materials and consumables to the school.

Officials from NIOT highlighted the role of individual responsibility in maintaining public hygiene and environmental safety. The team encouraged students to become ambassadors of the cleanliness mission, not just within the school premises but also in their homes and communities.

The Swachhata Pakhwada is being implemented across government departments and PSUs nationwide to reinforce hygiene awareness. NIOT’s activities in the islands are designed to complement this mission by directly engaging with the community, especially youth, who can act as catalysts for sustainable behaviour change.

The campaign also underscores the critical linkage between sanitation and ocean health, particularly in vulnerable ecosystems such as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The event aligns with ACOSTI’s ongoing mandate to blend scientific research with community-level environmental stewardship.

The visit to GSSS Bathubasti marks the midpoint of NIOT’s fortnight-long campaign. Similar outreach events are expected to be conducted at other schools and community centres across the region during the Swachhata Pakhwada.

As India continues to promote a culture of cleanliness as part of its national development priorities, initiatives like this are seen as key to strengthening the next generation’s commitment to hygiene, sustainability, and civic responsibility.