Mumbai: A sixteen-year-old junior student from Mulund, Hazel Raikundalia, swim the sea route of 14 km from Elephanta Island to Gateway of India in 2 hours and 45 minutes on Sundays, on children’s day.
Hazel swimming expedition is an effort to spread awareness about the need for a ocean that is cleaner for the environment.
A recent country-level swimming champion fain from SMT Sulochanadevi Singhania School in Thane, Hazel was detained by Mulund Mla Mihir Kotecha when he came out of the water at the gateway.
His coach, Umesh Uttekar, praised his first effort in a long distance swim.
Speaking with Toi, Hazel said, “I want to swim from Elephanta to the Gateway because I feel great about our bad sea and ocean conditions.
A lot of plastic waste, industrial waste polluting and domestic mud every day thrown into the ocean, which is not good for the environment .
Even when I swim today, I have to be careful to avoid floating plastic bottles, waste paper, cardboard cartons and general trash.
It’s a pity.
“He added,” Our ocean is the origin and machine of all life forms of our planet, But we don’t throw much a lot of plastic and chemicals into it.
I know a lot of swimmers who avoid swimming in the open sea because there are lots of dirt and pollution seen.
Don’t let us release our dump yard.
“His proud father, Mitesh Raikundalia, said, said, “Hazel wants to swim across the legendary English channel in the next two years, which is why it is important to swim first along the coast of Mumbai.
However, the dirty condition of the Arab Sea canceled a lot.
I’m glad my daughter has the will and dedication to swimming long distances.
“Uttekar coach showed that the recent locking was a hard phase for Hazel because he could not access the pool.
However, once the situation increased, he began his tight training in the pool before making his debut into the sea.
He was accompanied by a pilot boat Consisting of observers, time guards, coaches and family members.
Every year, we lowered more than 180 million tons of toxic waste into the sea.
About 8 million metric tons of plastic waste (which is equivalent to 57,000 blue whales) also discarded every year to the ocean Disaster for sea biodiversity.