Beach cleaning initiative launched in Chennai South

Joint drive by the Greater Chennai Corporation and Environmentalist Foundation of India coincides with World Environment Day, observed on June 5 every year

The south region of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) on Saturday launched a beach cleaning initiative with support from the Environmentalist Foundation of India (EFI). The launch coincided with World Environment Day, observed on June 5 every year.

Commenting on the initiative, Raja Gopal Sunkara, Regional Deputy Commissioner (South), GCC, said with the beaches closed to the public due to the COVID-19 lockdown, the intention was to make use of this period to thoroughly clean all beaches in the region.

Pointing out that the region already had two beach cleaning machines that were being deployed often, he said one more machine was being borrowed from the central region for the initiative. The clean-up started near Broken Bridge on Saturday. “As of now, our plan is to finish this clean-up activity in about one-and-a-half to two months,” he said.

Collaborative exercise

Apart from helping with manpower, the EFI will also be partially supporting the fuel cost for the machines.

Mr. Sunkara said the south region was planning to develop a model with active community involvement to keep the beaches clean. “Once the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and when the beaches become accessible to the public, we want to actively engage volunteers, the public and the shopkeepers on Elliot’s Beach and other places to try and maintain cleanliness,” he said.

Source: Read Full Article