Coastal clean-up leaves beaches trash-free in DK, Udupi

A coastal clean-up as part of International Coastal Cleanup 2019 was organised on the beaches of Panambur, Tannirbhavi, Surathkal, Sasihithlu in Dakshina Kannada and Malpe in Udupi districts on Saturday.

The cleanliness drive was organised by Coast Guard District (Karnataka) Headquarters under the aegis of South Asian Cooperative Environment Programme (SACEP) in South Asian Region.

Coast Guard efforts to clean the coast received support from multiple agencies, including Coast Guard Wives Welfare Association-New Mangaluru, Karnataka Coastal Security Police, Indigo Airlines, Par Eco Solutions, New Mangalore Port Trust, Central Industrial Security Force, MRPL, Rotary Club Mangalore, NCC Cadets and NSS volunteers.

Educational institutions, including Kasturba Medical College (KMC), St Agnes College, AJ Institute of Medical and Technology, MAHE, Fisheries College and others also participated in the drive.

Commander Coast Guard Karnataka S S Dasila said, “We all need to act on behalf of the ocean and aim at a trash-free ocean. We can really make a difference by empowering people to take an active role in cleaning our ocean. Let us all be a part of the planning to protect our vulnerable oceans. We need to join hands keeping the future of ocean in mind.”

All the members were provided with trash bags and protective gloves.

The participants removed the trash and non-bio degradable materials littered around the beaches. The waste mainly consisted of wrappers of food articles, plastic bottles, liquor bottles dumped by tourists. The waste materials were collected in garbage bags for disposal.

KIOCL Chairman and Managing Director M V Subba Rao, Dr G V Hegde of DKMUL (Dakshina Kannada Co-operative Milk Producers Union Limited), Udupi Deputy Commissioner G Jagadheesh, Udupi Superintendent of Police Nisha James and others were present.

NITK Surathkal Director Prof K Umamaheshwar Rao led volunteers at Surathkal beach. While Fisheries College Dean Dr Senthil Vel led the
volunteers at Tannirbhavi beach.

Volunteer Bhumika said, “Though dustbins were placed on the beaches, people still continued to dump trash on the shore. The International Coastal Cleanup Day is organised to reaffirm our commitment to clean the beaches and ensure that waste does not enter the sea.”

Another volunteer Maithri said pollution was the main threat to marine ecology. “Thus it is important for us to take part in initiatives like the coastal clean-up,” she stressed.