Indian Coast Guard Conducts International Coastal Clean-up Day 2023 Across Coastal States And UTs

New Delhi: The Indian Coast Guard conducted International Coastal Clean-up Day 2023 (ICC-2023) across all Coastal States and Union Territories on Sunday (September 17). “The International Coastal Clean-up day is held worldwide on the third Saturday of September every year under the aegis of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP) in the South Asian Region,” read the Ministry of Defence press release. The release states,

The campaign was also dedicated to the ongoing efforts of the Government for the ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clarion call for mass cleanliness and sanitation campaign, through ‘Swachhta Hi Seva’.

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According to the release,

This year, Maharashtra witnessed the highest participation of 11,425 volunteers followed by Tamil Nadu which had 5,166 volunteers. Nationwide, a total of 25,245 volunteers participated in the ICC-2023 campaign.

The Indian Coast Guard has been coordinating International Coastal Clean-up Day activity in India since 2006.

Various civil agencies, Central and State government organizations, Municipal Corporations, NGOs, fisheries associations, ports, oil agencies and other private enterprises participated in the campaign with zeal.

Huge participation by enthusiastic NCC cadets, NSS, school and college students highlighted the level of awareness among the young generation and their commitment to clean beaches.

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(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – theLGBTQ population,indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the currentCOVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water,SanitationandHygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fightmalnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health,adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues likeair pollution,waste management,plastic ban,manual scavengingand sanitation workers andmenstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India wheretoiletsare used andopen defecation free (ODF)status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched byPrime Minister Narendra Modiin 2014, can eradicate diseases like diarrhoea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.