Clean our beaches, spruce up city

Chennai:11.03.13: For City: Kottivakkam Beach. Photo: M_Karunakaran

With thousands thronging the city’s beaches every day, the sands are anything but clean.

From discarded tyres to clothes and footwear, there is no telling what you may step on — the litter is staggering in its variety and quantity.

To mark World Environment Day, which falls on Wednesday,

The Hindu in association with Chennai Trekking Club, will organise a clean-up drive on the beaches, stretching from Marina to Injambakkam, on June 16.

The initiative, from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., is expected to bring in a sea of volunteers. Over 40 corporates have signed up for the drive and more are expected to join. The drive is aimed at sensitising residents on the need to keep the city’s beaches clean.

At present, Marina and Elliot’s accumulate 12 to 14 tonnes of garbage every weekday and 20-22 tonnes on weekends. On Marina alone, around 100 conservancy employees work in three shifts to clear garbage.

From schoolchildren to corporate honchos, anyone can join the initiative. Volunteers will be given garbage bags and gloves and each team will be assigned a 1-km stretch. Buses have been arranged from 10 points across the city to pick up and drop volunteers. The event will be flagged off by Chennai Mayor Saidai Duraisamy.

Registration is open on www.thehindu.com\chennaicoastalcleanup from Thursday ; volunteers can also call 28575807 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.