What does one do when confronted with plastic and bottle waste on the sands of a beach? Blame it on the lack of civic sense among people and move on? Complain to the civic body and wait for results? Or get involved and work towards change?
Twenty four-year-old Aditi Pillai went in for the third option.
She decided to nudge people visiting the Muttukadu beach to keep its sands clean. On August 24, she is organising a beach clean-up drive with the support of her neighbours, students and other interested beach lovers.
A resident of Bloomfield in Muttukadu, Aditi is a recent graduate of Stanford University. Living in close proximity to the beach, she has been concerned about the deteriorating condition of the beach sands.
“A small stretch of the beach has no sand and that really shocked me,” says Aditi, who grew up in the United States and moved to the city two years ago.
At least a couple of times, Aditi has confronted people littering food packets.
“I visit the beach at least twice a day and there are many unpleasant sights that have pushed me towards educating beach goers. In the United States, you are fined for any act of littering,” she says.
The clean-up is being organised under the banner of Green Habit, an NGO founded by Aditi that educates youth on climate change and fostering sustainable environmental practices.
In her attempt to raise awareness about this issue, Aditi has found allies in her neighbours. Eminent dancer V. P. Dhananjayan is one of them. He has been complaining about the litter on the beach and written a couple of times to The Hindu Downtown about its plight.
Aditi has contacted a few schools in the neighbourhood. Residents in the community have promised to join her.
“I am not looking at this as a one time exercise and I plan to do such events on a continuous basis,” she says.
Date: August 24; 7 a.m. – 8 a.m.
Location:Muttukadu Beach
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