The Hindu FIC and AMNS organise beach clean-up activity at Rushikonda in Visakhapatnam

The Hindu FIC and AMNS organise beach clean-up activity at Rushikonda in Visakhapatnam

The Hindu FIC, in association with Arcelor Mittal & Nippon Steel (AMNS) India Limited, organised a beach clean-up activity on the occasion of International Beach Clean-up Day 2024, at Rushikonda Beach here on Saturday.

The event was organised with the support of Livein Adventure Sports Club and the District Sports Authority.

The beach clean-up activity was organised in two ways. Sea divers from the city-based Livein Adventure Sports Club have dived into the sea and picked up about 1.5 tonnes of trash. Meanwhile, representatives from the AMNS, The Hindu staff, students from the NSS wing of Chaitanya Engineering College, Mrs AVN College, GVP College for Degree & PG Courses, GITAM University and a few other colleges enthusiastically participated in the beach clean- up programme and collected debris which includes plastic bottles, paper cups, spoons, waste clothes etc.

Executive Director of AMNS M. Ravindranath, who attended the programme as the chief guest, led the clean-up activity in an enthusiastic manner. He picked up wastes in bags and handed over them to the GVMC sanitation staff.

During the inaugural of the programme, Mr. Ravindranath stressed the need for coastal clean-up as a regular activity to protect the environment. He said that tonnes of trash, which includes over 70% plastic wastes, is being collected at the beaches at various parts of the world. He observed that dumping of wastes into the seabed has been affecting the marine life and further disturbing the eco-system. Reminding the responsibility on people to keep eco-system in a balanced way, Mr. Ravindranath stressed the need for more awareness campaigns over the beach/marine pollution and coming up with more such programmes.

As a part of CSR activity, the AMNS has planted more than 60,000 trees on its premises and ensured nearly 40% of its area is green. Besides, the AMNS has also planted one lakh saplings in the city, he said.

Founder of Livein Adventures Sports Club Balaram Naidu said that they have been actively engaged in beach cleaning activities from Pudimadaka to Baruva, covering Srikakulam, Anakapalli, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam.