Gujarat: Mandvi beach freed of 1.5 tonnes of plastic waste

RAJKOT: Mandvi beach, one of the favourite destinations of tourists visiting Kutch, received a major eco-boosting makeover on Saturday, observed as international coastal clean-up day. Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology (GUIDE), Bhuj and National Center for Coastal Research (NCCR) Chennai along with forest department took up a day-long drive under conserving ocean theme and cleaned the beach of around 1.5 tonne plastic waste and other garbage.
Gujarat tourism is promoting this 500-year-old beach as one of the major tourist attractions of the state because of its uniqueness and historic importance.
Director of GUIDE, V Vijay Kumar said, “Plastic trash in marine and coastal waters impact the ocean on many levels.
From harming wildlife and humans to impacting livelihood of people depending on the ocean, it also causes huge economic damage by affecting tourism and recreation activities. Reports say that the majority of the plastics found in the ocean come from land-based sources rather than the marine sources itself.”
According to environmental scientists, creating awareness among people to take active part in cleaning up beaches is an important part to support conservation of the ocean.
These two institutes also make efforts to spread the ideas and techniques to help reduce plastic trash.
Beach cleaners recovered 1.5 tonne marine litter of different categories including cutlery, disposable plastic water bottles and straws, plastic cups, packets of snacks, submerged idols among many more.
Interestingly, gutkha pouches and plastic flowers-strings that are used to adorn the idols added most to the garbage.
Talking to TOI, president of Mandvi municipality, Hetal Soneji said, “The tourism department maintains the beach. Though we have not been given its responsibility, we still send our tractors to transport garbage and also our labourers to clean the beach. We have also put our dustbins there.”