Port Blair, Sept 21: International Coastal Cleanup day was celebrated in the islands by the Rotary Club of Port Blair in association with Indian Maritime Foundation (IMF), Chennai on 19th September 2015. The flag off for the main event was done from the parking lot near Govt Girls Sr. Sec School, Port Blair, by Rtn. Ahmed Badat President, Rotary Club of Port Blair at 6 a.m.
Indian Maritime Foundation (IMF) is the National Coordinator for India under the overall worldwide programme of the Ocean Conservancy. The Indian Maritime foundation has officially allotted Block No 54 to Rotary Club of Port Blair, with an aim to clean up the stretch of coast between Marina Park uptoCarbyn’s Cove beach, which is a major tourist destination.
The coastal cleanup covered Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and the Lakshadweep Islands on the same day about 400 kms with over 7000 volunteers. Apart from showcasing a clean coast with social and economic benefits, the program aimed at collecting valuable coastal trash data for better management purposes, creating awareness in the coastal population and the youth on imperative need to avoid coastal trash (including elimination of plastics to protect marine species).
Volunteers from Coast Guard, Port Blair also joined for the noble endeavor during clean up along with the members of Rotary Club of Port Blair. The waste collected during the clean up was disposed off with the assistance of staff of Port Blair Municipal Council. An ocean trash data on the clean up drive was sent to IMF to analyze data to promote coastal economics.
