Chennai: In two hours, almost 2,500 volunteers, including 600 students and corporate workers, cleared 1.2 km of stretch of Nagar Beach on Sunday and collected around 60 tons of waste and debris.
Detritus will be separated and sent to the recycling center.
Drive cleaning is held by a larger Chennai solid waste management contractor, Urbaser Sumeet.
Mehmood Sait, head of the company’s operation, said after rain, more than 270 tons of plastic and debris had washed the land near the broken bridge in the city.
“It was separated and cleaned by us, but we wanted to create awareness about the separation of waste and the importance of keeping the beach clean.
So we decided this drive,” he said.
Students from Corporation School and City College, GCC maintenance staff, residents in and around Besant Nagar, Corporate and activists take part in the cleaning drive.
Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Commissioner, Greater Chennai Corporation, said only if the Civic person and body gathered together, public places, water and coastal bodies can stay clean.
“We found many shoes, plastic bottles, clothing and plastic waste on the beach.
We need to be aware of the role of the beach playing in climate conservation and ensuring we keep all waterbodies clean,” he said.