Ocean clean-up drive held at Agatti

A two-day clean-up drive was held at Agatti, Lakshadweep, on September 19 and 20 as part of the International Coastal Clean-up Day celebrations.

The campaign was jointly organised by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) and Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos).

Plastic waste and debris were collected from the floor of the Agatti lagoon during an underwater clean-up drive held at Agatti Lagoon, which was led by Davendra Kumar and R.V. Girish of INCOIS, Jagvir Singh, scientific advisor, Ministry of Earth Sciences; Anu Gopinath, Professor, Kufos, and Arya P. Kumar, a research scholar at the university, according to a communication.

Agatti beach was also cleaned up as part of the campaign.

Deputy Collector Rahul Rathode inaugurated the programme.

School and college students, members of the women’s self-help groups, personnel from the Indian Reserve Battalion, and members of the NCC and SCC units attended, the communication said.