India's coastline of more than 7,500 km reflects our vast ocean resources. Most importantly, the Indian Ocean is the only ocean named after a country, that is, India.

Litter especially in the form of plastics in the marine environment are a major concern and growing international problem and a number of studies have shown their harmful impact on marine biodiversity, ecosystems, fisheries, human health and economy. Usually, wastes from land-based sources make up the major share of marine litter.

In this context, India, being a signatory of UN "Coastal Clean Seas" campaign, a number of activities have been adopted that have direct relevance with the "Swachh Bharat" vision and has proved highly useful. These initiatives are a broad approach to support efforts to prevent pollution from both land-based and offshore activities, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 14 and its target 14.1, which seeks, by 2025, to “prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution”. Considering the dangers of plastic waste, India has implemented a nationwide ban on single-use plastic from July 01, 2022.

The "International Coastal Clean Up Day" is celebrated globally on the third Saturday of September, every year. This year on 17th September 2022, the Government of India along with other voluntary organizations, and the local society will run a cleanliness campaign "Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar/Clean Coast Safe Sea" along India’s entire coastline. Efforts will be undertaken to collect scientific data and information on Marine Litter in various matrices, such as coastal waters, sediments, biota, and beaches.

This campaign will include Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Indian Coast Guard, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) along with various departments of centre and state governments, non-government organisations and educational institutions.

This year’s event also coincides with the celebrations of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in 75th year of the country’s independence; The coastal cleanup drive will be carried out at 75 beaches across the country with 75 volunteers for every kilometre of the coastline. The list of 75 beaches is enclosed as Annexure-I

 

The "Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar/Clean Coast Safe Sea “campaign is a 75-day citizen-led campaign for improving ocean health through collective action. The campaign started on July 3rd, 2022 and has 3 strategic underlying goals that target transformation and environmental conservation through behavior change. The three underlying goals of the campaign are to 1. Consume Responsibly 2. Segregate waste at home and 3. Dispose Responsibly. The campaign will culminate with the largest beach cleaning event on Sept 17, 2022 (International Coastal Cleanup Day) covering 75 beaches across India’s 7500+km coastline.

In terms of implementation, during the month of July there will be an attempt to raise awareness about the degradation caused by plastic and the danger to ecological balance from deteriorating ocean health. In August, the campaign will create engagement, especially among the youth on innovating to solve for the problem of plastic waste. In September, the focus will be on action – bringing people to clean up the beach as a symbolic gesture to pledge against the use of plastic.

Key audiences for the campaign include local communities that rely on oceans and beaches for livelihood, school and college students, youth and citizens in-general. The campaign will combine both virtual and physical formats for delivering key messages and engaging the target audience in adopting lifestyle and behavioral changes that promote environmental sustainability. Examples of virtual activities include quizzes, pledges and challenges. Physical activities will include the actual beach clean-up along with rallies, skits and contests etc.

The list of activities in the 75-day citizen-led campaign is enclosed as Annexure-II

A mobile app “Eco Mitram” has been launched to spread awareness about the campaign and also for the common people for voluntary registration for the beach cleaning activity on the 17th September 2022.

It is the first-of-its-kind and longest running coastal cleanup campaign in the world with highest number of people participating in it. Through this campaign, a mass behavioural change among the masses is intended by raising awareness about how plastic usage is destroying our marine life.

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