CHENNAI: Greater Chennai Corporation along with HCL Foundation, the CSR arm of HCL Technologies and Environmentalist Foundation of India, launchd ‘Revive Chennai’s Coasts’ initiative.
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 5-km beach stretch between Ashtalakshmi Temple in Besant Nagar and Kottivakkam in Chennai will be taken-up, a press release said.
As part of its commitment to help improve the coastal ecosystem in 25% of the Chennai’s coastline by 2025, HCL Foundation pledges to create ‘Young Community Leaders’ in the form of ‘Ocean Fellows’ as an innovative and sustainable solution to ensure the prevention of waste accumulation.
The role of Ocean Fellows is to become a role model among the local communities to ensure the prevention of waste accumulation and to improve the coastal & marine ecosystem.
The Ocean Fellows will undergo rigorous training with EFI in the areas of leadership, management and social innovation.
Post training, the fellows will join into various activities like community volunteering efforts such as adoption and maintenance of a beach stretch, sensitizing visitors on the use of plastic, to introduce ocean friendly fishing practices, enhanced management of harbours and fish landing sites, eco-sensitization amongst fishing villages etc.