Coastal clean-up campaign gets huge boost by public, celebrities: Minister

The 75-day-long ongoing Coastal Clean Up Campaign received a huge boost as a number of Chief Ministers, Governors, Film and Sports personalities pledged their full support to the longest and largest beach cleaning campaign in the world titled "Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar".

The information was given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh today while addressing a press conference to brief the progress of the ongoing 75-day Coastal Clean-Up campaign launched on 5th July, 2022.

Three days ahead of "International Coastal Clean-up Day" on 17th September 2022, massive people's support is also pouring in for the campaign spearheaded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences and supported by other Ministries and Civil Society Groups in the country.

Minister informed that the campaign has entered the mode of the whole of Government approach plus the whole of country participation. A cleanathon, which was organised at Juhu Beach n Mumbai, saw a large number of participants.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed keeping India's coasts clean as he praised the efforts of volunteers to remove garbage from the Juhu beach in Mumbai. Responding to a video posted by Dr Singh about the clean-up at the beach, PM Modi tweeted, "Commendable... I appreciate all those involved in this effort. India is blessed with a long and beautiful coastline and it is important we focus on keeping our coasts clean".

Dr. Singh said that apart from the active cooperation of Ministries of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Jal Shakti, Health and Family Welfare, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, External Affairs, Information and Broadcasting, organisations and associations like National Service Scheme (NSS), Indian Coast Guard, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Seema Jagran Manch, SFD, Paryavaran Sanrakshan Gatividhi (PSG), along with other social organizations and educational institutions are participating in the clean-up campaign.

The MPs of coastal states also pledged full support to the first-of-its-kind and longest-running coastal clean-up campaign in the world and they also advised the Ministry of Earth Sciences to undertake a variety of activities by involving local NGOs, he added.

The Minister told the media persons to support this noble mission of achieving the target to remove 1,500 tonnes of garbage, mainly single-use plastic from the sea coasts on "International Coastal Clean-up Day" on 17th September 2022, which incidentally is also the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated as "Sewa Divas" in the country. He called upon all to join the massive clean-up drive on 17th September to be carried out at 75 beaches across the country with 75 volunteers for every kilometre of the coastline. He also added that this year's event also coincides with the celebrations of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in the 75th year of the country's independence.

Dr Singh reiterated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a lead in the cleanliness campaign and has motivated the entire nation to keep the 7,500 Kilometres long coastal line of India clean, safe and healthy for mankind.

It is notable that last month, Dr Jitendra Singh interacted with 46 Deputy Commissioners/District Magistrates from 9 Coastal States and reviewed the ongoing countrywide 75-day Coastal CleanUp campaign and asked them to assist in this mass campaign. He is also going to write to each of them to make the event on 17th September a memorable one. The Minister said, the District Collectors can create a sustainable campaign and truly build a crescendo by involving all sections of society as the "Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar" campaign is the longest and largest beach cleaning campaign in the world, which has already caught the imagination of the masses and nation.