Puri: The ‘Mo Beach’ campaign launched by the administration in the Holy City and other coastal areas of the district has witnessed participations from the locals as well as tourists to keep the seashore clean and beautiful.
Even the ‘Mo Beach’ initiative has caused awareness among the local vendors, fishermen and slum dwellers and they refrain from dumping garbage on the seashore in the city here, sources said.
Thousands of tourists from across the globe often visit the Holy City to spend some quality time on the beach here. However, garbage and sewage from the nearby localities used to litter some portions of the city beach.
The administration had launched the ‘Mo Beach’ campaign in June this year to maintain a hygienic atmosphere on the shorelines of Puri city and other coastal areas of the district.
Initially, some local volunteers had lent their support to the initiative. Gradually, the ‘Mo “Youths, students, women and local vendors have come forward to participate in the campaign and keep the city beach clean. Local vendors had initially opposed the campaign, but now they are actively participating in the cleanliness drive on the beach. At present, volunteers are removing garbage from the city beach on a daily basis,”Beach’ campaign witnessed the participations of members of several social and voluntary outfits, lawyers, intellectuals, school and college students, members of women self-help groups (SHGs), locals, vendors and some tourists, sources said.
“Youths, students, women and local vendors have come forward to participate in the campaign and keep the city beach clean. Local vendors had initially opposed the campaign, but now they are actively participating in the cleanliness drive on the beach. At present, volunteers are removing garbage from the city beach on a daily basis,” said city municipal executive officer Bijay Dash.
According to Dash, the 8km-long beach of the city has been divided into three segments for undertaking cleanliness drive. He claimed that many tourists are voluntarily participating in the ‘Mo Beach’ campaign.
“We have recently held a meeting with the fishermen of Pethakata area to check dumping of garbage and open defecation on the beach. We are trying hard to include people from all walks of life in the campaign. The administration is determined to maintain cleanliness on the city beach,” Dash said.
Former councillor Babula Prasad too claimed that the ‘Mo Beach’ campaign has brought a change in people’s mindset with regard to hygienic atmosphere on the coast. “There were heaps of garbage on the city beach near Penthakata. Now, the locals have decided not to dump garbage on the beach. The municipal body of the city has promised to provide dustbins to the locals,” Babula said.
The former councillor also claimed that the district administration has decided to provide toilets to the residents of Penthakata. “To check open defecation in Penthakata area, the administration has come up with the decision. We will soon prepare a list of families who have no access to toilets. The list will be submitted to the administration soon,” he said.
