VISAKHAPATNAM: Hundreds of students from navy schools and private colleges including the naval flag officers, employees, unions and their family members took part in a massive beach cleanup programme at the RK Beach here Saturday morning, on the occasion of International Coastal Cleanup Day-2014 organised by the Eastern Naval Command (ENC).
ENC chief of staff vice-admiral Bimal Verma flagged off the event. NSS wing of Andhra University, GITAM University students, members of Hindustan Shipyard Limited, voluntary organisations and local NGOs participated in the event.
On the occasion, vice-admiral Bimal Verma lauded the members who voluntarily came forward to make Visakhapatnam a clean and green city. The people were divided into groups of 350 to clean up the beach premises from Kalimatha Temple to light house.
One of the students, M Rajaji of Sai Ganapathi College felt that it was his social responsibility to take part in the campaign as a Vizagite and a beach-lover. “While visiting the beach in the weekends, I feel disgraced with the maintenance and decided to take part in the cleanup programme,” he added.
Pedestrians and the Beach Road residents were apparently shocked to see the participants clean up heaps of trash, which was later cleared by the GVMC. Meanwhile, International Coastal Cleanup Day was also performed by the Indian Coastguards at Rushikonda Beach.