India speeds up plastic cleaning from sea

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By Our Special Correspondent

New Delhi, September 17: India is going on an overdrive to clean up 15,000 metric tons of plastic wastes from the sea amid growing concerns over the climate change.

The climate change has become too visible across the world, bringing in spells of droughts, floods, and even changes in the Monsoon patterns.

Indian agriculture is overwhelmingly dependent on the Monsoon rains. This year’s droughts and floods in China and Pakistan, which also in the European countries and the American continent, have already plunged the world into a severe food crisis.

India on Saturday commemorated the International Coastal Clean-up Day by launching the largest coastal clean drive-up drive at Juhu Beach in Mumbai. Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has conducted the International Coastal Cleanup drive in Mumbai.

“India’s 7500 km-long coastline will play a vital role in shaping up India’s Vision@2047. Efforts are being made to remove 15,000 tons of plastic waste from the sea,” said Union Minister of State for Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh.

The minister stressed that India needs to leverage underutilized oceanic resources in order to advance the economic growth.

“India’s bio-economy is growing fast and is projected to be around $1500 million by 2025,” added the minister.

Singh also informed that in the next few years, Indians will go to explore the bottom of the sea just as they will explore the outer space.

The ISG is carrying out the cleanup campaign since 2006, he informed.

“Swachh Sagar Surakshit Sagar has been successful in line with India’s commitment to UN’s Sustainable Development Goal No. 14. The campaign which started 75 days back, witnessed a variety of activities to increase awareness and public participation in the coastal clean-up drive,” said Director-General of Indian Coast Guard, VS Pathania.

Health of oceans is degrading faster than before.

“It is imperative to protect our oceans. If oceans are not there, there will be less monsoon and oceans-lives will also be affected. We need to prevent pollution of oceans for our future generations,” said secretary of Ministry of Earth Sciences, M. Ravichadran.