Coastal cleanup drive in Vizag tomorrow

Visakhapatnam (AP), Sep 16: Nearly 5,000 people, including eminent citizens and students from the city, and about 3,000 Naval personnel are likely to join hands for a coastal cleanup drive here tomorrow.

The 31st 'International Coastal Cleanup Day' will be observed worldwide tomorrow with the pledge "fighting for trash-free seas". The event will kickstart at Kursura Museum Ramakrishna beach in the city tomorrow morning.

Flag Officer Commanding-in Chief, Eastern Naval Command, Vice-Admiral H C S Bisht will formally inaugurate the event, according to a Navy release here. The event, which is being observed for the fifth time in succession, will see a joint cleanup drive by Eastern Naval Command, Indian Coast Guard along with prominent clubs/ organisation of Visakhapatnam.

The students from Navy Children School will take up the cleanup drive, starting from Ramakrishna beach to Park Hotel, including Tenneti Park, Yerada, Rushikonda and Kalinga beaches. The coastal cleanup campaign has gained importance in Visakhapatnam since last few years due to infrastructural development and exponential rise in industrialisation which has directly affected the environment and surroundings.

These major advances have a direct impact on surrounding areas and also the adjoining sea region due to major dumping of sewage and industrial waste. As a result of this ever growing industrialisation, the pollution level at the sea has gone up alarmingly in recent years, the release added.

PTI