Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept. 20: The Atal Centre for Ocean Science and Technology for the Islands (ACOSTI), a field centre of the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, conducted the “Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar 5.0” beach-cleaning campaign at North Bay Beach, Sri Vijaya Puram, on 18 September 2026, followed by an International Coastal Clean-up Drive at Wandoor, South Andaman, on 19 September 2026.
The beach-cleaning campaign at North Bay was attended by 57 participants, including school students, local Panchayat representatives, Forest Department officials, and the NIOT scientific team. The campaign resulted in the collection of 63.245 kg of marine litter, including plastic waste. The International Coastal Clean-up Drive at Wandoor was attended by 109 participants, who collectively collected approximately 167 kg of marine litter. The collected waste was handed over to the Panchayat for appropriate disposal.
The North Bay campaign received valuable participation and support from the Forest Department, Zilla Parishad, Hope Town Panchayat, and the local school. The Wandoor clean-up drive was supported by officials from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), CISF, Wandoor Panchayat, as well as school teachers and students.
The initiatives highlighted the importance of collective action, community participation, and responsible waste management in protecting coastal and marine ecosystems. They also reinforced the need to reduce plastic pollution and to promote cleaner, healthier coastal environments. Through such collaborative initiatives, NIOT-ACOSTI continues to promote public awareness and strengthen collective responsibility towards cleaner beaches, healthier coasts, and a clean, healthy, and safe ocean.