Lok Sabha Question No. 3162 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-06
Subject: Swachh-Nirmal Tat Abhiyan
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Sudheer Gupta, Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Prataprao  Jadhav, Mohanbhai Sanjibhai Delkar, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Bidyut Baran Mahato

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3162

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2019

## Swachh-Nirmal Tat Abhiyan

## 3162.   SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV:

SHRI MOHAN S DELKAR:

SHRI SANJAY SADASHIV RAO MANDLIK:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) Whether the Government has made any assessment regarding the garbage scattered in coastal areas of the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has recently organized a cleanliness-cum-awareness drive in fifty beaches under the 'Swachh-Nirmal Tat Abhiyan';
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the response received from the public in this regard, beach-wise including the amount sanctioned under the said Abhiyan;
- (d) the total quantum of solid waste that has been collected and disposed off along with the total number of volunteers participated and the total area of beaches cleaned in sea drive ;
- (e) whether the Government proposes to organize such awareness/cleanliness drives in the near future and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the further steps taken/being taken by the Government to create awareness among people underlining the importance of coastal eco-system and beach cleanliness?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

- (a)  Beach  litter/garbage  has  emerged  as  an  important  environmental  concern.  There  is, however, no specific assessment of the quantum of garbage scattered in coastal areas of the country.

(b) & (c) The Ministry organised a week long intensive beach cleaning-cum-awareness drive named 'Swachh-Nirmal Tat Abhiyan' from 11 th to 17th November 2019 at 50 beaches in the 10 coastal States, namely Gujarat, Daman &Diu, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu,  Puducherry,  Andhra  Pradesh,  and  Odisha.  The  drive  witnessed  huge  stakeholders' participation particularly the students of schools/colleges, volunteers, public representatives, officialsof  State  Governments  and  civil  society  organisations.  Mass  awareness  campaigns, quiz  competitions,  painting  competitions,  counselling  sessions,  pledge  ceremonies,  slogan writing,  rallies  etc.  were  also  organised  during  the  drive  duly  sensitizing  all  stakeholders about the importance of protection and conservation of the coastal ecosystems. Mechanized beach cleaning was also undertaken at 18 beach sites resulting in greater cleanliness. About Rs. 77000/- per beach per day was allocated to carry out the drive.

(d)  During  the  drive  period,  about  238  tonnes  of  mixed  solid  waste  was  collected  and disposed  off  from  the  50  beach  sites.  About  70,200  volunteers  actively  participated  in  the drive across all 50 beaches. Aprox. 1 km beach length was taken up under the drive at each location.

(e) & (f) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is implementing Environment Education, Awareness and Training scheme with the objective of promoting environmental awareness  among  all  sections  of  the  society  and  to  mobilize  people's  participation  for conservation  of  environment.  Under  the  National  Green  Corps  (NGC)  programme  of  the Ministry,  about  one  lakh  schools  have  been  identified  as  Eco-clubs,  wherein,  nearly  thirty lakh  students  are  actively  participating  in  various  environment  protection  and  conservation activities, including in the coastal areas, beach cleaning activities and other issues related to the environment conservation.

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