By Laxmi Pranathi
Copyright deccanchronicle
Visakhapatnam: The Indian Coast Guard District 6 (Andhra Pradesh) spearheaded a large-scale coastal clean-up initiative at RK Beach on Saturday, marking International Coastal Cleanup Day with the theme “Turning the tide on ocean trash.”The campaign, organised under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP), drew around 1,000 volunteers from various organisations and agencies. The initiative also aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Swachhata Hi Sewa campaign, highlighting the importance of cleanliness and environmental stewardship. Member of Parliament M. Bharat served as chief guest, while M. N. Harendhira Prasad, District Collector of Visakhapatnam, was guest of honour. The drive saw active participation from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), National Cadet Corps (NCC), major corporations including Adani, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), and Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), along with students from schools and colleges. Indian Coast Guard personnel and their families also joined the effort. Volunteers collected approximately 600 kg of recyclable plastic and 700 kg of other dry waste from the beach, totalling 1,300 kg of debris removed from the coastal environment.
