Union Minister of Sports and Youth affairs Mansukh Mandaviya
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will lead a nationwide coastal and beach cleanliness drive from the historic city of Porbandar in Gujarat on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti on Wednesday.
This initiative aims to eliminate single-use plastic waste from India's beaches and coastal areas, marking the culmination of the broader "Swachhata Hi Seva" campaign, which runs from September 17 to October 2 under the theme "Swabhav Swachhata - Sanskaar Swachhata."
Mandaviya will commence the cleanup in Porbandar, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. His participation underscores the commitment to sustainable environmental practices, aligning with the vision of a clean and plastic-free India.
The organisers MY Bharat, under the Department of Youth Affairs, has taken a proactive role in this year's Swachhata Hi Seva campaign, encouraging active youth participation in promoting cleanliness and environmental responsibility.
The drive will target over 1,000 locations along India's 7,500km coastline, focusing on the collection, segregation, and disposal of single-use plastics.
More than 100,000 MY Bharat volunteers will participate in this nationwide effort, showcasing the power of collective action in achieving environmental sustainability.
Mandaviya has also written to MPs of all coastal districts, urging them to participate in the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign, which has already seen significant success, with over 5.6 million MY Bharat youth volunteers actively removing millions of kilograms of waste across the country.
Cleanup efforts have spanned more than 100,000 villages, over 15,000 community centres, 9,501 Amrit Sarovars, and various historical and public spaces.