The sandy beach at Suryalanka, a coastal village 10 k.m. away from Bapatla, has been attracting a lot of tourists for the last few years. Ever since the Andhra Pradesh Tourist Development Corporation (APTDC) has built sea facing cottages, the beachfront has emerged as a favourite getaway for many, especially IT professionals from Hyderabad.
But all is not well with the picturesque beach front. It continues to be littered with pieces of plastic bottles left over by tourists. Students of Bapatla Engineering College (BEC) have set upon themselves the task of cleaning the beach front. Under the aegis of Suryodaya Society for Awakening Community (SAC), the students cleaned up Suryalanka beach on Sunday evening.
“We have motivated the Adavipalem village panchayat to declare the beach as no plastic zone from August 3. Littering of plastic bottles, ice cream cups will be prohibited on the beach,” Hari Kishan, a third-year student of BEC and a member of SAC, told The Hindu on Tuesday.
The SAC was formed with support of BEC alumni in 2008 and since then have taken up various programme relating to eradication of child labour.
Clearing up plastic bottles, carry bags and other waste material thrown on the shore, the students motivated tourists too by administering a pledge to the visitors.
Forum For Better Bapatla secretary P.C. Sai Babu said the year's slogan “Together we have the power to protect the oceans,” has motivated the students to take up cleaning of beach.