On International Coastal Cleanup Day 2024, APSCC joined Pondicherry University and the Oulgaret Municipality for a large-scale beach cleanup at Kalapet Beach — mobilising more than 200 volunteers who collected roughly 400 kg of waste along the shoreline.
The joint event was held under the aegis of the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, as part of its flagship “Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar” (Clean Coast, Safe Seas) programme. Aligned with the global International Coastal Cleanup theme ‘Sea the Change’, the drive also complemented India’s nationwide Swachhata Hi Seva campaign.
A pledge for cleaner seas
The programme opened with a pledge for coastal cleanliness led by Prof. K. Tharanikkarasu, Vice-Chancellor of Pondicherry University. Participants then set off on a rally to Kalapet Beach, led by Thiru. A. Sureshraj, Commissioner of the Oulgaret Municipality, and Prof. Rajneesh Bhutani, Registrar of Pondicherry University.
Sorting, disposal and awareness
Volunteers gathered debris from across the beach, of which an estimated 20–30% was plastic waste. The collected material was responsibly sorted and disposed of under the guidance of Er. S. Sudalai of Pondicherry University.
Dr. M. Nandhivarman raised awareness on the growing dangers of disintegrating plastics, PET bottles, discarded fishing nets and banned single-use plastics — and their long-term impact on marine ecosystems. At the close of the event, certificates of participation were distributed to the volunteers in recognition of their contribution.
Protecting our coastlines is a shared responsibility — every piece of plastic we remove today helps safeguard the marine ecosystems that sustain us all. Prof. K. Tharanikkarasu · Vice-Chancellor, Pondicherry University
Aligned with the SDGs
The cleanup advanced several Sustainable Development Goals — protecting ocean life, building sustainable communities, driving climate action and strengthening partnerships for the goals:
Event: International Coastal Cleanup Day 2024, Kalapet Beach, Puducherry · September 2024. Jointly organised by Pondicherry University, Oulgaret Municipality and APSCC under the NCCR “Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar” mission.