Team Herald

VASCO: “The garbage in the seas is from the lands and it has to be stopped at source,” Coast Guard DIG said. 

He was speaking after the International Coastal Cleanup Day which is celebrated in September under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) initiative. It is coordinated and conducted by Indian Coast Guard every year. This is world’s largest one-day voluntary effort to clean the sea and beaches. The event was conducted simultaneously at 14 beaches in North and South Goa.

Coast Guard personnel and their families, hotel staff, panchayats, CISF and other volunteers participated in the activity of cleaning the beaches. At least 1000 volunteers took part in the activity. 

Deputy Inspector General of Coast Guard Himanshu Nautiyal said, “The objective of the programme is to spread awareness amongst the public, especially the younger generations about the impact of coastal pollution and necessity of coastal cleanup.

He said that the plastic pollution of the seas was originating from the land and has to be tapped at source.

“Compared to the beaches near Mumbai, Goa is fortunate to have clean beaches and they need to be maintained that way,” Nautiyal said. 

“One of the duties of Coast Guard is protection and preservation of marine environment,” Nautiyal said.