HCL Technologies’ corporate social responsibility arm, HCL Foundation, has joined hands with Greater Chennai Corporation and Environmentalist Foundation of India to launch “Revive Chennai’s Coasts” initiative.
The campaign aims at sensitising residents along the coast about the hazardous impact of ocean pollution and initiate localised community-based solution through a participatory model for behavioural change, according to a statement.
The year-long campaign consists of coastal clean-up and to bring about awareness in Chennai, which is home to the world’s second longest beach.
In the first phase of the campaign, the three partners will kick start clean-up and sensitisation activities in and around the 5-km beach stretch between Ashtalakshmi Temple in Besant Nagar and Kottivakkam.
Further, as part of its commitment to help improve the coastal ecosystem in 25% of the Chennai’s coastline by 2025, HCL Foundation will create ‘Young Community Leaders’ in the form of ‘Ocean Fellows’ as an innovative and sustainable solution to ensure the prevention of waste accumulation, it added.
The “Ocean Fellows” will undergo rigorous training by Environmentalist Foundation in the areas of Leadership, Management and Social Innovation, the statement said.
Post training, the fellows will join various community volunteering efforts such as adoption and maintenance of a beach stretch, sensitising visitors on the use of plastic, to introduce ocean friendly fishing practices, enhanced management of harbours and fish landing sites, eco-sensitisation amongst fishing villages etc., it added.
