Ministry of Earth Sciences
National Centre for Coastal Research
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The Union Ministry of Earth Sciences is gearing for a mass cleanliness campaign being organised along the country’s nearly 7,500 km long coastline on September 17 to mark the International Coastal Clean-Up Day.
India's coastline of more than 7,500 km reflects our vast ocean resources. Globally, "International Coastal Clean Up Day" is celebrated on the third Saturday of September, every year. This year on 17th September 2022, the Government of India along with other voluntary organizations, and the local society will run a cleanliness campaign "Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar" along India’s entire coastline mainly to make awareness about reducing the marine litter, minimal use of plastics, segregation at source and waste management.
India has a rich marine history. Human society has been continuously benefiting from the natural wealth of the sea and the ocean. However, in the recent times, the plastic litter mostly from the land based activities, tourism and fishing reach the coast and ocean through rivers and different waterways. It’s an issue of major concern worldwide, with several studies showing their harmful impact on marine biodiversity, ecosystems, fisheries, human health, and the economy. Usually, wastes from land-based sources make up the significant share of marine litter.
As a signatory of the United Nation’s "Coastal Clean Seas" campaign, India has been adopting many activities to prevent pollution from both land-based and offshore activities, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 14 and its target 14.1, which seeks, by 2025, to "prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution".
The coastal cleanup drive will be carried out at 75 beaches across the country with 75 volunteers for every kilometre of the coastline. A 75-day citizen-led campaign will precede the programme. It has three strategic underlying goals that target transformation and environmental conservation through behaviour change: Consume responsibly, Segregate waste at home, and Disposal of waste responsibly.
It will be the first-of-its-kind and longest running coastal cleanup campaign in the world with highest number of people participating in it. The participation of common man will convey the message of “Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar” for the prosperity of not only coastal areas but also other parts of the country. R&D efforts will be undertaken to collect scientific data and information on Marine Litter in various matrices, such as coastal waters, sediments, biota, and beaches.
During July, there will be an attempt to raise awareness about the degradation caused by plastic and the danger to ecological balance from deteriorating ocean health. In August, the campaign will create engagement, especially among the youth on innovating to solve the problem of plastic waste. In September, the focus will be on the action - bringing people to clean up the beach as a symbolic gesture to pledge against the use of plastic.
A mobile app “SSagar” has been launched to spread awareness about the campaign and also for the common people for voluntary registration for the beach cleaning activity on the 17thSeptember 2022.
Through this campaign, a mass behavioural change among the masses is intended by raising awareness about how plastic usage is destroying our marine life.
The coastal cleanup drive will be carried out at 75 beaches across the country. A 75 days long campaign will be launched from 03rd July 2022 to raise awareness about “Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar” culminating on "International Coastal Cleanup Day" on 17thSeptember 2022.
This campaign will include Ministry of Earth Sciences, along with the Indian Coast Guard, Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Seema Jagran Manch, SFD, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Paryavaran Sanrakshan Gatividhi (PSG), along with other social organizations and educational institutions.
