Volunteers clean Mangaluru beaches in UN drive

The Coast Guard Karnataka conducted International Coastal Cleanup (ICC)-2021 at Panambur beach with 120 volunteers from Coast Guard, Coastal Security Police, New Mangalore Port Trust, Central Industrial Security Force, Customs and Central Excise on Saturday.

The participants cleared the plastic waste and non-biodegradable materials littered at Panambur and Tannirbavi beaches. The ICC, the world’s largest one-day volunteer effort to clean up the marine environment under the aegis of the UN, is celebrated on the third Saturday of every September.

The cleanliness drive created awareness amongst people and helped them inculcate habits to keep the beaches and coastal environment neat and clean for the years to come, Coast Guard Karnataka Commander DIG Venkatesh said. The event was supported by MRPL, Dakshina Kannada Milk Producers Union and State Bank of India. Mangalore City Corporation Commissioner Akshay Sridhar was the chief guest.

The Indian Coast Guard has been coordinating ICC Day in India, conducted under the direction of the United National Environment Programme (UNEP) and South Asian Cooperative Environment Programme (SACEP) in the South Asian Region.