Swachh- Nirmal Tat Abhiyaan

Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) is undertaking a mass cleanliness-cum-awareness drive in 50 identified beaches under the programme called ‘Swachh- Nirmal Tat Abhiyaan’, from 11 -17 November 2019.

About Swachh- Nirmal Tat Abhiyaan

Objective: To strive to make coastal areas across country clean, and to create awareness amongst citizens about the importance of coastal ecosystems so as to save marine creatures from plastic waste, industrial effluents and other harmful substances.

Environment Education Division of the MoEFCC and Society of Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM) under the aegis of Ministry will be responsible for the overall coordination for drive in 50 beaches. Respective State Governments and Central Ministries will also be actively participating in beach cleaning drives.

Identified Beaches: Government has identified beaches in 10 coastal States/Union Territories (UTs) after the consultation with respective States/UTs. These are in- Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Puducherry, Goa, Karnataka, Gujarat, Daman & Diu, and Maharashtra.

Participants: The cleaning drives undertaken in all beaches will involve institutions, school/college students of Eco-clubs, volunteers, district administration, local communities among others.

State Nodal Agencies for Eco-clubs will facilitate the week long intensive cleanliness drive in all 10 States/UTs. Nodal teachers from respective Eco-clubs will be present at the sites during entire cleanliness drive. To monitor the implementation of the drive, Environment Ministry officials have also been deputed.

Beach cleaning activities: A minimum of one Kilometre stretch of the beach shall be identified for beach cleaning activity in which will be a duration of two hours will be spent on daily basis. At about 15 identified beaches, beach sand cleaning machines shall also be deployed. Thereafter collected waste will be processed as per extant Waste Management Rules, 2016.

On completion of the cleanliness drive, best three beaches will be suitably awarded along with a Certificate of Appreciation for all the participating Eco-clubs.

Month: Current Affairs - November, 2019