The Hindu        19.01.2011

Beaches littered with garbage post-festival

K.Lakshmi and

Operation clean-up: The removal of waste from the Marina beach in progress on Tuesday. — Photo: K. V. Srinivasan

: Nearly 150 tonnes of garbage were left behind by visitors to the
Marina beach on Monday who came to celebrate ‘Kaanum Pongal.’ The litter
generated on the Elliots beach and parks in the city on the same day
amounted to 100 tonnes.

According to Chennai Corporation officials, the
collection of garbage increased to 250 tonnes this year. Last year,
about 100 tonnes were collected.

With the litter on the beaches increasing during such
festive seasons, environmental activists say sustained efforts must be
made to create awareness about the need to keep public places clean.

Since Monday, the Corporation deployed nearly 440
conservancy workers to clean the sands of Marina and Elliots beaches.
However, regular beach goers say a lot more needs to be done to keep the
coastline clean. Though there is a ban on plastic bags, it is not
effectively implemented.

Representatives of the vendors associations on the
Marina beach said the membership of the four associations total over
10,000. During festive season, the number of vendors is more. But, every
stall has to take responsibility for the waste people throw around
their premises, says vendors.

“Every Monday, most vendors are involved in the cleaning
of the sands of Marina as per the rules of the associations. But, we
need more bins. Awareness also has to be created among visitors not to
litter on the beach,” said M.Gajendiran, a vendor selling ‘sundal.’

Representatives of many environmental organisations said
that Coastal Clean Up Day and some such rare occasions are when large
number of volunteers gather to spruce up the beaches of its waste. Each
and every one must be made responsible for the garbage they generate,
say activists.

Supraja Dharani of Tree Foundation said “We have been
representing to the Corporation to carry out awareness campaigns through
public announcement system. Such campaigns are essential, at least
before festive season.”

Though the Marina beach has bins, they are inadequate as it attracts a large number of visitors.

Corporation officials say the bins get stolen. Cement bins would be a better option, Ms. Dharani said.

Mayor M. Subramanian, who inspected the cleaning
operation that was undertaken using sand cleaning machines and
mechanical sweepers on Tuesday, said the civic body would procure 120
stainless steel bins in about two weeks.

Each bin would cost between Rs.10,000 and Rs.12,000.

He estimated the number of people who visited the Marina
beach on Monday to be five lakh, while the number would be two lakh on
Elliot’s beach. Vendors would be asked to place bins near their shops to
keep the beaches clean, Corporation officials added.

Environmental activists say sustained efforts must be made to create awareness of the need to keep public places clean