Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian has said that the State government aims to clean up the 600-km-long coast of Kerala and remove plastic waste from the sea.
He was inaugurating the State-level Comprehensive Coastal Clean-up Project and the Marine Litter Survey initiated by the University of Kerala and the Department of Fisheries on World Ocean Day at Mavilakadappuram in Valiyaparamba grama panchayat on Thursday
The initiative is part of the Clean City, Beautiful Coast (Suchitwa Nagaram, Sundara Theeram) project of the government. The Minister lauded the work done by the Kerala University for environmental protection in the coastal region.
The clean-up project and the survey aim to make a significant difference in protecting oceans and preserving the health of the marine ecosystem. The survey is led by Kerala University Aquatic Biology and Fisheries department head A. Bijukumar and research associate Sibin Antony.
The programme is being conducted in nine coastal districts of the State in collaboration with various colleges and citizen scientists. By generating accurate data on marine debris, the project envisions policy changes, educating the public, and inspiring individuals to minimise plastic consumption and adopt more environment-friendly practices.
