Visakhapatnam, Sept 20:
Marking International Coastal Cleanup Day, a large-scale beach cleanup drive was organized at Rushikonda Beach under the joint initiative of the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) and Bisleri. The event received active support from the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC), India Youth for Society (IYFS), and INS Vishwakarma.

 

International Coastal Cleanup Day is observed every year on the third Saturday of September to highlight the importance of protecting coastal ecosystems and marine biodiversity. This year’s global theme, #SeaTheChange, emphasized the alarming issue of nearly 8 million metric tonnes of plastic waste entering oceans annually.

The Rushikonda drive was conducted as part of national campaigns including “Swachh Sagar – Surakshit Sagar”, “Seva Parv 2025”, “Swachhotsav”, and the LIFE Mission. Bisleri, under its “Bottles for Change” initiative, has been spearheading such cleanup activities across various Indian cities to promote plastic waste segregation and recycling.

Prominent participants included District Tourism Officer Madhavi, APPCB Environmental Engineer Mukundarao, Lieutenant Commander Hriday Kiran from INS Vishwakarma, Bisleri CSR Executive Balasaidababu, and IYFS representatives Sharath Chandra, Bonam Prasad, and Srinath. Students from the Sun International Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management, NCC cadets, employees of Dolphin Hotels, Coromandel Industries, and the GVMC sanitation wing also took part actively.

The volunteers raised slogans such as “Beat the Plastic,” “Keep the Beaches Clean,” and “Save the Marine Life” after the drive. Nearly 150 kilograms of plastic waste was collected, segregated, and handed over to the IYFS reprocessing center for recycling.

 

The event stood as a strong reminder of collective responsibility towards maintaining clean coasts and safeguarding marine life for future generations.