Gandhinagar: A significant beach cleanliness drive was conducted across ten beaches in Gujarat on September 20, 2025, coinciding with International Coastal Cleanup Day. The initiative, part of the ‘Sewa Parv-2025’ celebrations, was organized by the Gujarat Environment Management Institute (GEMI) under the central government’s National Coastal Mission Scheme.
The drive resulted in the collection and scientific disposal of an estimated 51,541 kilograms of solid waste, thanks to the participation of numerous volunteers from various organizations.
Held annually, International Coastal Cleanup Day aims to raise global awareness about keeping coastlines free of pollution. The campaign highlights the importance of protecting marine ecosystems. The clean-up in Gujarat was carried out under the guidance of Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Minister Mulubhai Bera and State Minister Mukeshbhai Patel.
The ten beaches targeted in the state-wide effort were Dumas in Surat, Dandi, Dwarka, Bet Dwarka, Veraval Chowpatty, Porbandar Chowpatty, Rawalpir-Mandvi, Shivrajpur, Umargam, and Koliak in Bhavnagar.
The drive saw active participation from various bodies, including GEMI, the Gujarat Pollution Control Board, the Forest Department, the Coast Guard, local administration, municipalities, non-governmental organizations, students and teachers from schools and colleges, industrial units, and local residents.
In addition to the clean-up, GEMI organized awareness activities such as street plays, sand art, and drawing competitions at various locations. As part of the “Ek Ped Maa Naam” (A Tree in Mother’s Name) campaign, tree plantation was also undertaken at each beach.
Notably, as part of the ‘Sewa Parv-2025’ celebrations running from September 17 to October 2, various service-oriented programs like tree plantation, cleanliness drives, health check-up camps, and environmental awareness initiatives are being organized across Gujarat and the entire country.
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